At the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th, Romanesque art flourished in Auvergne like nowhere else. With over 250 buildings, Auvergne’s heritage is among the most developed in Europe. It is also among the purest. The Auvergnat style is an important component in Romanesque art. The development of the Auvergne School was centred around the diocese of Clermont-Ferrand at the end of the 10th century, a period in which Romanesque art had already reached a certain maturity in Germany and northern France.

It features a quest for simplicity and purity. Its strength and homogeneity come in part from the speed with which all these buildings were built in Auvergne. Indeed, it took only a few decades. The task was huge… the result is considerable.

The exceptional Romanesque heritage in Auvergne contributes to the region’s cultural influence and its attraction for tourists.

At the initiative of the President of the Auvergne Regional Council and the State (Ministry of Culture), a programme has been undertaken to promote the great Auvergnat Sanctuaries of the medieval period. Eight major buildings from the period have been named in co-operation with the départements.

	Souvigny: Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul Priory Church		Antignac (Vignonnet Rock)
	Behind the baroque façade is hidden the most beautiful church in the land of the Dukes of Bourbon, classified a "Major National Site ". This abbey was one of the five daughters of Cluny. For further information		Located on a rocky perch overlooking the Vallée de la Sumène, this church was founded in the second half of the 11th century or at the beginning of the 12th. It is said to have been founded by Robert de Turlande, abbot of La Chaise-Dieu. In pure Romanesque style, it is remarkable in its modillions, capitals and decorative motifs, all perfectly preserved. For further information

	Montsalvy		Vauclair Chapel at Molompize
	The past of this beautiful building is not fully understood. It appears to have been built on the foundations of the old walls once they no longer had any defensive role to play. This bourgeois home is adorned with an 18th-century tower. Dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, it was classified as a historical monument in 1911. The nave has six spans. The twelve pillars are in Romanesque style as is the choir, the apse and the apsidioles. For further information		This small building with a single nave has a doorway with sculpted archivolts. Above it is a six-lobed rose window and a small “comb” bell tower with a single bell bay. The masterpiece is without a doubt the stucco-covered wooden statue of Our Lady of Vauclair dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. This black Madonna in majesty is seated on the "throne of wisdom", enveloped in a long veil with concentric folds. For further information

	Brioude		Saint-Nectaire
	This is the largest Romanesque church in Auvergne. Don’t miss the magnificent capitals and the statue of Santiago de Compostela. For further information		Built on Mont Cornadore, it dominates the village. Inside is a circle of six capitals telling the story of the life of Saint Nectaire and others. There is also a statuette of the Virgin Mary with a reliquary. For further information

	Orcival: Notre-Dame Church		Clermont-Ferrand : Notre-Dame-du-Port
	At the heart of a gorgeous village, a lovely example of the power of faith and the respect for the rules of Romanesque art. It holds the only Romanesque Madonna in the region dressed in gold. Every year, at noon on 15 August, a sunbeam lights up her face. For further information		It was built in the heart of the city on the site of an old church founded in the 6th century. Famous for its sculptures, notably its many story-telling capitals and the lintel of the south doorway, this church is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. For further information