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Saint Caprais Church of Craponne-sur-Arzon en Haute-Loire

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Eglise gothique
Haute-Loire

Saint Caprais Church of Craponne-sur-Arzon

    3 Place Croix de Mission
    43500 Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Église Saint-Caprais de Craponne-sur-Arzon
Crédit photo : Torsade de Pointes - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
fin XIIe siècle
Foundation mentioned
1416
Construction of spans
vers 1500
Partial reconstruction
1782
Added façade
2 juin 1969
MH classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Church (with the exception of the modern bell tower) (Box AV 91): inscription by decree of 2 June 1969

Key figures

Famille de Chalencon - Donors Finished the current construction.
Famille de Polignac - Donors Participated in the replacement of the chapel.
Guy François - Artist Author of the *Descent of the Cross* (1640).
Pierre Vaneau - Sculptor Realized the woodwork of the choir (XVIIe).
Gabriel Samuel - Sculptor Created the pulpit in 1735.

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Caprais, located in Craponne-sur-Arzon in Haute-Loire, finds its origins in an ecclesiastical foundation mentioned at the end of the 12th century. The present building, built in the 14th and 15th centuries, replaces a castral chapel thanks to a gift from the families of Chalencon and Polignac. Its Gothic Languedoc architecture, unusual in the Velay, is distinguished by a choir, a pentagonal apse and five spans of nave. The third span, the oldest, dates from the 14th century, while the second and fourth spans date back to 1416. The western facade and the first span to the west were added in 1782, marking a partial reconstruction.

The church houses twelve side chapels, including the chapel of Sainte-Barbe (15th century) and the chapel of Sainte-Régis, where nuns from the Saint Joseph settlement are buried. His furniture includes notable works such as a Descent of the Cross by Guy Francis (1640), woodwork of the choir by Pierre Vaneau (17th century), and a pulpit carved by Gabriel Samuel in 1735, representing the four evangelists and Saint Caprais. The stained glass windows, dated 1866, and the bell tower arrow, added in the 19th century, complete this rich heritage complex.

Ranked a historical monument (except the modern bell tower) by decree of 2 June 1969, the church illustrates the architectural and artistic evolution of the region, mixing medieval influences and subsequent modifications. Its adjacent parish cemetery recalls its central role in community life since the Middle Ages. The Gothic Languedoc style, rare in Velay, and contributions from local noble families underline its historical and cultural importance.

External links