Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-Ferréol de Curgy, located in the department of Saône-et-Loire in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is a religious building built in the second half of the 11th century. It is distinguished by its rectangular plane of 24 x 12 meters, without transept, and its flat bedside where the apse falls. The bell tower, of square section with belfry, dates from the beginning of the 12th century and is pierced by two bays with twin columns on its four sides. The church is particularly stripped away, with the exception of the main gate decorated with two capitals worn by time, one of which could represent Moses praying for Joshua' victory.

The interior of the church consists of a nave of four spans, rhythmized by cruciform pillars and cradle vaults on doubles. The collaterals are covered with half-piece vaults, while the choir includes an apse and two cul-de-four apse. A 12th century wall painting, classified in 1897 thanks to the intervention of Jacques Gabriel Bulliot, adorns the cul-de-four of the apse. This fresco, 3.78 meters high, represents a Christ in Majesty surrounded by the tetramorph. It has been restored several times, notably in 1954, 1958 and 1985.

Ranked a historic monument by decree of 18 May 1897, the church of Saint-Ferréol remains an active Catholic place of worship, falling within the diocese of Autun and the parish of Notre-Dame de la Drée. Its sober architecture and its rare decorative elements make it a valuable testimony of Romanesque art in Autunois. The protection of its pictorial heritage, including mural painting, underscores its historical and artistic importance in the region.

External links