Church of St. Mary (Corneilla-de-Conflent)
Encyclopedia
St. Mary is a church in Corneilla-de-Conflent
, southern France. Built in the 11th-12th centuries, in Romanesque style
, it was originally an Augustinian monastery. It was declared a national monument in 1840.
of Cerdanya, who made their capital in the town, in 1025. In 1094 count William I
ordered the construction of a monastery here, which was founded in 1097 and entrusted to the Augustinians
.
Until 1167, the priory acquired numerous privileges and possessions, including castles and villages. In 1356 King Peter III of Aragon
ceded to the monks the old counts palace.
In the 14th century the church was fortified with a line of walls featuring pyramidal merlon
s. The priory continued to increase of importance until its secularization in 1592. After the French revolution in 1789 it was repeatedly modified.
decorated by a Madonna enthroned with Child and Angels. The columns supporting the archivolts have capitals with rampaging lions, palms and sheep.
The circular apse features exteriorly Lombard band
s and a sawtooth-shaped frieze, as well as three windows with archivolts over small columns.
The interior is on a nave and two aisles. It houses a retablo by Jaume Cascalls
(1345). The bell tower is in Lombard Romanesque style; it has Lombard bands decorating each of the three storey, the middle one having two windows and the upper one a large arch.
Corneilla-de-Conflent
Corneilla-de-Conflent is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It is home the church of St. Mary, a 11th-12th century Romanesque building.-References:*...
, southern France. Built in the 11th-12th centuries, in Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
, it was originally an Augustinian monastery. It was declared a national monument in 1840.
History
Mentioned for the first time in 1018, the church, owned by the bishops of Elne, was acquired by count Wilfred IIWilfred II of Cerdanya
Wifred was the Count of Cerdanya and Count of Berga . He was the eldest son of Oliba Cabreta and Ermengard of Ampurias....
of Cerdanya, who made their capital in the town, in 1025. In 1094 count William I
William I of Cerdanya
William I Raymond was the count of Cerdanya and Berga from the year of his birth till that of his death, giving up Berga a year earlier to his son William-Jordan....
ordered the construction of a monastery here, which was founded in 1097 and entrusted to the Augustinians
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
.
Until 1167, the priory acquired numerous privileges and possessions, including castles and villages. In 1356 King Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
ceded to the monks the old counts palace.
In the 14th century the church was fortified with a line of walls featuring pyramidal merlon
Merlon
In architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
s. The priory continued to increase of importance until its secularization in 1592. After the French revolution in 1789 it was repeatedly modified.
Architecture
The church, in Romanesque style, has a façade in pink marble, surmounted by a tympanumTympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
decorated by a Madonna enthroned with Child and Angels. The columns supporting the archivolts have capitals with rampaging lions, palms and sheep.
The circular apse features exteriorly Lombard band
Lombard band
A Lombard band is a decorative blind arcade, usually exterior, often used during the Romanesque and Gothic periods of architecture.Lombard bands are believed to have been first used during the First Romanesque Period of the early 11th Century. At that time, they were the most common architectural...
s and a sawtooth-shaped frieze, as well as three windows with archivolts over small columns.
The interior is on a nave and two aisles. It houses a retablo by Jaume Cascalls
Jaume Cascalls
Jaume Cascalls was a Catalan sculptor, born in Berga. He was a representant of the Catalan school of Gothic sculpture. He was married to the daughter of painter Ferrer Bassa, with whom he had a profitable work relationship....
(1345). The bell tower is in Lombard Romanesque style; it has Lombard bands decorating each of the three storey, the middle one having two windows and the upper one a large arch.