Église Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais du Montet

Date
ca. 12th century
Work Type
Style/Period

One of the greatest Benedictine monasteries of the area, founded by Archambault II, called Le Montet (d. 1078) as a burial place for himself and his successors. Archambault III (d. 1095) added to the foundation. A magnificent new church was begun soon thereafter, intended to match the glory of Souvigny. This was an unusually well-funded construction of beautifully-finished ashlar masonry and ornate capitals that repeat themes found also at Souvigny, S-Menoux and S-Martin of Besson. The central vessel of the nave, covered by a pointed barrel vault (rebuilt) seems to have been increased in height during construction judging from the strip of wall above the cornice that surmounts the arcade. In its width and in the proportions of the bays and section of the piers the nave central vessel is remarkably similar to Besson. Aisles were vaulted with groin vaults replaced (except for the western bays) with rib vaults in the fifteenth century. To the east there was a spacious transept with chapels to the east and a choir with ambulatory and five radiating chapels (compare Chantelle). The church was modified in the fourteenth century when it was incorporated into the city wall and the north side of the nave was heightened with machicolations. In 1567 the church was badly damaged by the Protestants and the choir, heavily damaged, was subsequently razed. The present western frontispiece dates from the nineteenth century, as does the apsidal east end. The western tower is by the architect Jean-Baptiste Lassus.

References

  • Exterior, south elevation, distant view
  • Exterior, chevet, southeast axial chapel elevation, city view
  • Exterior, southeast chevet elevation, city
  • Exterior, chevet and south transept elevation, city
  • Interior: chevet, south ambulatory
  • Interior: chevet, south ambulatory
  • Interior: ambulatory, axial chapel
  • Interior: chevet
  • Interior: crossing
  • Interior: nave
  • Interior: Crossing
  • Panorama Tour
  • Exterior, western frontispiece and north nave elevation
  • Exterior, western frontispiece elevation looking northeast
  • Exterior, western frontispiece elevation looking northeast
  • Exterior, south nave elevation looking northeast
  • Exterior, west frontispiece, looking northeast
  • Exterior, northeast axial chapel elevation
  • Exterior, east axial chapel elevation
  • Exterior, chevet, southeast axial chapel elevation
  • Exterior, chevet, axial chapel, southeast elevation
  • Exterior, east chevet elevation, axial chapel
  • Exterior, southeast chevet elevation, axial chapel
  • Exterior, southeast chevet elevation looking northwest
  • Interior, nave looking east
  • Interior, nave looking east
  • Interior, northeast nave elevation
  • Interior, south transept looking northwest into south nave aisle and nave
  • Interior, south nave aisle looking southwest
  • Interior, nave, west high vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, north aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, north aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, north aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, north aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, north aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, central vessel, pier base
  • Interior, nave, north aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, north aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, north aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, south aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, south aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, south aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, south aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, south aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, south aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave, south aisle vault, keystone
  • Interior, nave, south aisle bay, vault, keystones
  • Interior, nave looking southeast
  • Interior, nave looking northeast
  • Interior, nave, south aisle looking south, southwest corner chapel
  • Interior, nave looking northeast
  • Interior, nave, north aisle looking east
  • Interior, nave looking northeast
  • Interior, nave looking northeast toward north transept
  • Interior, south transept looking northeast into crossing and north transept
  • Interior, south transept looking northeast into north transept and chevet
  • Interior, north transept looking southeast into crossing and south transept
  • Interior, crossing vaults
  • Interior, crossing, vault, keystone
  • Interior, south transept vault, keystone
  • Interior, south transept vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, looking southwest through crossing into nave
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory aisle looking northwest through crossing
  • Interior, chevet looking northwest through crossing, nave
  • Interior, nave looking northeast into crossing and chevet
  • Interior, chevet looking northeast
  • Interior, chevet looking east
  • Interior, chevet looking east, arcade
  • Interior, chevet, east elevation, clerestory and vaults
  • Interior, chevet, vaults
  • Interior, south chevet aisle looking northeast
  • Interior, south chevet aisle looking northeast
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory looking northeast
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory looking southwest
  • Interior, east ambulatory looking northeast into axial chapel
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel looking east
  • Interior, north chevet aisle looking west
  • Interior, north chevet chapel looking southwest
  • Interior, north chevet ambulatory looking southwest
  • Interior, north chevet aisle looking southeast
  • Interior, chevet, central vessel, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, central vessel, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, north aisle, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, north aisle, north column base looking northeast
  • Interior, chevet, northeast ambulatory chapel, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, axial chapel, vault, sculptural detail
  • Interior, chevet, southeast ambulatory, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, ambulatory, southeast chapel, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, south aisle, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, south aisle, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, south aisle, chapel, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, south aisle, chapel, vault, keystone
  • Interior, chevet, crossing looking southeast
  • Interior, chevet, crossing looking east
  • Interior, chevet looking southeast
  • Interior, chevet, north ambulatory aisle looking east
  • Interior, chevet, northeast ambulatory aisle looking southeast, axial chapel
  • Interior, chevet, east ambulatory looking southeast, axial chapel
  • Interior, chevet looking east, axial chapel elevation
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory aisle looking west
  • Interior, chevet, southeast ambulatory aisle looking northwest
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory aisle looking southeast
  • Interior, chevet, south ambulatory aisle looking southeast
  • Interior, chevet ceiling, vaulting
  • Interior, chevet, east ambulatory looking northeast, axial chapel
  • Interior, chevet, northeast ambulatory aisle looking southwest