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Origin and history

La lantern des morts de La Souterraine is a funeral monument located in the cemetery of this commune of the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Although its period of construction is debated (XII century according to some sources, XIV according to others), it is characteristic of the lanterns of medieval dead, buildings linked to funeral practices and the symbolism of light guiding souls.

The building, made of granite, consists of a hexagonal column adorned with protruding veins, pierced at its base by a rectangular door and, at its top, six bays in the middle of the hanger. It is surmounted by a pyramidal lantern with a stone cross. Originally installed in the former cemetery of the Faubourg Saint-Michel, the lantern was moved around 1850 in the current cemetery, at the intersection of sections A, B, C and D. During this transfer, its lantern was rebuilt, partially altering its original appearance.

The lantern of the dead of La Souterraine was listed as historical monuments by order of 16 June 1926, thereby recognizing its heritage value. Owned by the commune, it bears witness to the medieval funeral traditions and religious architecture of the region. Its current location, in the cemetery of La Souterraine (25 Rue de Malherbaud), makes it a prominent feature of the local landscape, although its precise location is considered to be of poor accuracy (level 5/10).

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