Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Priory of Notre-Dame de La Charité-sur-Loire, founded in 1059 by Guillaume Ier, Count of Nevers, is a Benedictine priory dependent on the Abbey of Cluny. He became one of the five main clunisian priories, nicknamed "senior daughters". Its church, the second largest in France after Cluny III, symbolizes the radiance of order by its careful decor and its bedside with radiant chapels. The site was listed as a historic monument in 1840 and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 for its role on the roads of Santiago de Compostela.

The priory has a turbulent history: partially destroyed by Viking raids in the 9th century (a monastery named Seyr existed there around the year 700), it was rebuilt in the 11th century under Prior Gérard de Cluny. In the 13th century, financial and political conflicts broke out between Cluny and La Charité, aggravated by wars and a devastating fire in 1559. The buildings, damaged, were partially restored in the 17th and 18th centuries, notably under the priors Nicolas Colbert and the cardinal of Bernis.

The French Revolution closed the monastery in 1791. The church becomes parish, while the convent buildings, sold, successively house a factory, a shoe factory and a wine trade. These industrial occupations preserve the site from destruction, despite harmful transformations. In 1840, Prosper Mérimée prevented his demolition for the route of a royal road. Since 2001, the priory has been the subject of an extensive restoration project.

The architecture of the priory combines Romanesque elements and subsequent modifications. Its western tympanum (1130–1135) represents the Assumption of the Virgin, a rare theme at the time, while the southern transept exhibits a Transfiguration of Christ, illustrating the continuity between the Old and the New Testament. The bedside, redesigned in the 12th century, includes a walk-in and radiant chapels. Conventual buildings, rebuilt after the 13th century fires, include a cloister, a prioral house and a salt attic.

The priory is home to prominent figures, such as Dom Robert Mauvielle, a subprieur who died of the plague in 1628 after treating the sick, or the cardinal of Bernis, who restored the site in the 18th century. The founders and protectors of Nevers played a key role in its history, notably through arbitral judgements such as that of 1224, approved by Louis VIII. Archaeological excavations in 2015 reveal traces of previous occupation, enriching the site's understanding.

Future

The main interest of Charity lies in the authenticity of the site.

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