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Origin and history

The Saint-Martin church of Lurcy-Lévis, located in the Allier department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is a Catholic building marked by exceptional architecture. Founded in the 12th century, it has one of the few clover choirs (or trikonchos) in Europe, a singularity that questions the influences of Romanesque art in Bourbonnais. This trilobe bedside, composed of three semicircular apses vaulted in cul-de-four, is contemporary from the late twelfth century. The nave, without bottoms, and the transept, covered with a 14th century oculus vault, seem posterior or deeply reshaped. The western portal, in late Gothic style, dates back to the 15th century.

The church rests according to tradition on the foundations of a Gallo-Roman temple burned during the invasions of Berry, although this origin remains hypothetical. It has been listed as a historic monument since 16 December 1937 and is part of the Bourbonnais Painted Church Route. Its furniture includes a stained glass window attributed to Jules Hardouin-Mansart (late 17th–early 18th century), two baroque pietà, and a carved wooden cross path. A 16th-century Flemish tapestry, Christ healing the blind, which was classified and declassified in 1920, was offered in 1865 before being claimed by heirs in 1908. In 1965, four statues of the 17th and 18th centuries (Saint Peter, Saint Protay, Saint Gervais, Saint Roch) were stolen.

The interior decoration reveals Burgundy influences, especially in the carved capitals of the columns of the choir, representing lions devouring men or bicephalous griffons. The eastern abside houses a painted mandorle of Christ Pantocrator, surrounded by the four symbols of the evangelists, supported by arches with carved capitals. The square bell tower, topped by a dardian arrow, dominates the cross of the transept. The building, owned by the commune, remains a major testimony of medieval religious art in Bourbonnais, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque heritages.

The church of Saint Martin also illustrates the vicissitudes of historical monuments: theft, disputed restitutions, and architectural transformations. His clover plan, rare in France but present in some ancient Roman basilicas, suggests cultural exchanges or distant inspirations. Today, it is a must-see heritage landmark of the Bourbon country, attracting its turbulent history and hybrid architecture.

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