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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church Saint-Denis de Rivarennes is a Catholic building located in the commune of Rivarennes, in the department of Indre (centre-val region of Loire). Built in the 12th century, it once belonged to a priory dependent on Lesterps Abbey in Charente. Its architecture blends Romanesque elements, such as the apse pierced by three windows with carved bird capitals, and Gothic additions of the 15th century, including the reconstructed nave and transept. A raised absidiole of the north transept still dates from the original Romanesque period.

Ranked a historical monument by decree of 26 January 1927, the church now depends on the archdiocese of Bourges and the parish of Saint-Gaultier. It houses several lateral chapels, including that of Villeneuve (dedicated to Saint Denis, place of burial of the lords of Vouhet) and that of Notre-Dame (or chapel of Plimpinard, linked to the Virgin). Two other chapels in the nave honour Saint Anthony and Saint Marguerite. The baptismal fonts, once backed by the wall near the entrance, testify to its historic parish use.

The site also preserves traces of its past as a priory, with ecclesiastical benefits formerly attached to the Notre-Dame chapel, under the collation of the lords of Plimpinard. The oldest part, the Romanesque apse, is distinguished by its adorned outer columns with capitals, while the late reconstructions (15th century) reflect the architectural evolution of the building. Today owned by the municipality, the church remains a marked example of medieval religious art in Berry.

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