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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre de Saint-Satur, located in the Cher department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, is a former abbey church built from the second half of the fourteenth century. It replaces an 11th century Romanesque sanctuary, built on the foundations of a first oratory of the 5th century founded by the hermit Saint Romble. The present building, dedicated to Saint Guinefort, was erected after the destruction of the abbey and previous church by the English in 1341. His choir, surrounded by seven chapels, five of them radiant, illustrates flamboyant Gothic architecture, with light vaults and slender pillars.

The church suffered multiple looting and destruction, notably by the English in 1420, then by the Protestants in 1567. The repairs span several centuries: the vaults were completed between 1617 and 1626 under Abbé Claude de Toulongeon, while the current bell tower dates from 1780. Ranked among the first Historical Monuments of the Cher in 1840, it houses a remarkable 18th-century marine ex-voto, Le St Roch, offered by local sailors, as well as 19th-century stained glass windows and a baroque high altar. Its Abbatial enclosure, divided into two courtyards, preserves the 13th and 18th century convent buildings.

The history of Saint-Satur Abbey dates back to 1034, when Countess Mathilde, the lady of Sancerre, founded a chapter of regular canons of Saint-Augustin. The Romanesque church, consecrated in 1104, was looted in 1142 and then restored. The abolition of the abbey in 1775 transformed the church into a parish. Among its treasures, an 18th century Descent of the Cross and a statue of Saint Roch testify to its rich artistic heritage. The site, linked to local maritime devotion, also reflects the tumults of the Wars of Religion and Anglo-French conflicts.

The oldest abbey building, dating back to the second half of the 13th century, used to serve as a home for guests. Regular places include the large religious building, the old kitchens, and an 18th century wing housing the main entrance. The church, the first classified building of the Cher, symbolizes both the religious resilience to the invasions and the maritime anchoring of the region, through its ex-voto dedicated to Saint Roch, protector of the sailors.

The major restoration carried out between 2010 and 2014 has preserved this exceptional heritage. Today owned by the commune, the Saint Peter church remains an architectural testimony of the transitions between Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque, while embodying the turbulent history of Saint Saturn, between spirituality, conflicts and popular devotion.

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