Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault, located in Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault (Maine-et-Loire), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.3286, -0.2019
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00109382
The Romanesque jewel of the Loire Valley, Saint-Maxenceul church in Cunault faces the river from its thousand-year-old bell tower and porch, and boasts one of the finest Romanesque naves in Anjou, with 223 exceptionally well-preserved sculpted capitals.
History
Perched on the limestone promontory of Cunault, overlooking the Loire and its changing lights, the church of Saint-Maxenceul is one of the most accomplished Romanesque monuments in the Loire Valley. Its massive, serene silhouette, flanked by an 11th-century bell tower-porch, announces the majesty of the site from afar. Inside, the three-vessel nave boasts a forest of columns bearing some 223 sculpted capitals with a remarkably wide range of iconography - fantastic animals, biblical scenes, interlacing plants - which in themselves constitute an open-air lapidary museum. What makes Saint-Maxenceul truly unique is the coherence of its Angevin Romanesque architecture, little altered by later alterations. The church retains the clerestory of its triforium, the robustness of its fasciculated pillars and the softness of its blond tuffeau, that distinctive Loire stone that soaks up the afternoon light to glow softly at sunset. The acoustics of the nave are of a rare fullness, making it a venue for early music concerts of exceptional sound quality. The visit begins in the bell tower-porch, a veritable gateway between the secular and sacred worlds, whose low Romanesque vaults foreshadow the majestic elevation of the nave. We then progress to the Gothic choir, a 13th-century addition, whose coloured stained glass skilfully controls the light falling on the high altar. The preciously preserved shrine of Saint Maxenceul bears witness to the church's role as a place of pilgrimage throughout the Middle Ages. The magic of the site is further enhanced by the setting outside: the village of Cunault, a peaceful hamlet in the Maine-et-Loire region, stretches between the tufa slope and the river, in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The adjoining gardens and uninterrupted views over the Loire make Saint-Maxenceul an unforgettable stopover for lovers of medieval heritage.
Architecture
Saint-Maxenceul church belongs to the late Romanesque style from Angers, characterised by a Latin cross plan with three naves and aisles, a slightly projecting transept and a choir with a semi-circular apse. The bell tower-porch, built in the 11th century of Loire tufa stone, features a carefully laid rubble stone structure and soberly moulded blind arches. Its square silhouette, topped by a four-sloped roof, dominates the forecourt and conveys an initial sense of Romanesque gravity. The central nave, around 55 metres long, rests on powerful fasciculated pillars whose engaged columns rise up to the transoms of the slightly broken barrel vaults. The triple arches of the side aisles, whose harmonious proportions reflect the Cluniac influence filtered through the saintongeaise school, give the whole structure an unexpected lightness for a building of this size. The 223 sculpted capitals, spread across the nave and transept, are the centrepiece of the building: carved from white tufa, they represent a remarkable iconographic repertoire combining acanthus leaves, bicaudal sirens, confronting griffins, scenes from the Passion and figures of apostles. The 13th-century Gothic choir adopts the Angevin Gothic style, with its slender arches and lancets with coloured stained glass windows. The entire building is made of blond tuffeau, a limestone found in abundance in the Loire Valley, which is light, easy to carve and capable of acquiring a noble patina over time. The roofs, made of flat tiles and slate depending on the part of the building, are in keeping with the building traditions of the Loire Valley.
Related Figures
Saint Maxenceul — disciple présumé de saint Martin de Tours, évangélisateur du Saumurois (IVe-Ve siècle), dont les reliques sont à l'origine du lieu de culteSaint Philibert — abbé de Noirmoutier, dont les moines apportèrent les reliques à Cunault lors de leur fuite face aux Vikings (IXe siècle)Foulques Nerra — comte d'Anjou (987-1040), protecteur des établissements bénédictins de la région et probable bienfaiteur du prieuré de CunaultHenri II Plantagenêt — roi d'Angleterre et comte d'Anjou (1154-1189), dont le règne coïncide avec l'apogée du chantier roman et l'essor artistique angevinProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments historiques, qui parcourt l'Anjou dans les années 1840 et signale Saint-Maxenceul comme chef-d'œuvre de l'art roman ligérien
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault located?
Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault is located in Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault, Maine-et-Loire department, Pays de la Loire region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault built?
Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Maxenceul à Cunault is currently closed to visitors.