Church of Saint John the Baptist à Mayres-Savel dans l'Isère

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Mayres-Savel, located in the Isère department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is a religious building of Romanesque origin, built mainly in the 11th and 12th centuries. It is the only church in the municipality since Savel was swallowed by the waters of the Monteynard-Avignont dam in 1962. Its Latin cross architecture, with a low transept and three hemicycle apsidioles, reflects its medieval heritage, while its bell tower, classified in 1919, dominates the choir.

The western facade of the church shows a difference in colour and arrangement of the stones, suggesting an elevation of the nave at an indefinite time. Inside, the nave, vaulted in a cradle and reinforced by double arches, preserves traces of ancient decorations under a 1970s painting. The 19th century works modified some bays (nef, apse, transept) and added a neo-Gothic stand at the entrance, including a stained glass window dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, patron of the church since the Middle Ages.

The building was the subject of two successive protections for historical monuments: a partial classification in 1919 (clocher and cornices of the nave), followed by a complete inscription in 2021, including the church and its adjoining cemetery. Built in tuf, a local stone, the church illustrates the architectural features of the Romanesque churches of Dauphiné, with typical modillons and cornice. Its history is closely related to the parish of Mayres, mentioned as early as 1188 under the name Parrochia de Maires.

The bell tower, the most remarkable element, has two floors pierced with gelatinous and trigeminous berries, separated by flat strips. These details, combined with the sobriety of interior decoration, underline the duality between medieval heritage and subsequent additions. The church, owned by the commune, remains a major witness to the religious and architectural history of the region, despite the disappearance of the neighbouring village of Savel.

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