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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Moutiers-en-Puisaye, located in the department of Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, finds its origins in the eighth century with the foundation of a monastery. The present building, Romanesque architecture, was built before the year thousand by monks to welcome pilgrims to Rome. It incorporates a 13th-century box, modified in the 14th century, and preserves murals made between the 12th and 15th centuries, rediscovered in 1982 under a badigeon.

The church was initially linked to the bishopric of Auxerre before being given, along with ten other churches, to Saint Germain Abbey in Auxerre by Bishop Heibert in the 10th century. The latter, half brother of Hugues the Great, acted after the restoration of the monastic rule by Saint Mayeul. The choir and side chapels, added in the 15th century, complete a unique nave, while the baroque altar and a 19th century gate enrich its furniture.

Ranked a historical monument in 1862, the church attracts the attention of architects like Viollet-le-Duc. His 200 m2 of frescoes, restored by Hisao Takahashi between 1982 and 1994, describe biblical scenes (Genesis, Flood) and representations of saints. These paintings, among the most important in Burgundy, bear witness to the medieval artistic richness. Today, the Association Les amis de Moutiers and the Heritage Foundation work for its preservation.

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