BRIOUDE

. The church of Saint-Julien in Brioude (Haute-Loire) was erected in the early 5th century upon the site of its patron’s martyrdom. It soon became a center for pilgrimage, and in the Merovingian era St. Julien’s cult rivaled that of St. Martin. Destroyed by Muslims, the church was rebuilt in the late 8th century, and in the 9th century a college of canons was founded here.

The present structure is the result of a series of building campaigns. In the late 11th and early 12th centuries, the narthex and the nave were constructed. The choir, with ambulatory and five radiating chapels, dates from the end of the 12th century, and the two side porches are from the early 13th. After 1259, the nave was rib-vaulted and rose windows and bays in the Gothic style were added.

The interior is highly ornamented. Sculpted capitals throughout the church include figures of angels, Evangelists, sirens, centaurs, antique masks, and knights in combat. Walls and columns also exhibit remains of polychrome figures and decorative motifs in vermilion, pink, fiery yellow, grey, green, and violet. An important 12th-century fresco

Cycle in a chapel off the south aisle depicts Christ in Majesty surrounded by angels and personifications of the Virtues and Vices.

The fagade dates from the mid-19th century, as do the west tower and most of the bell tower over the crossing.

Nina Rowe

Blanc, Alphonse. Brioude et sa region. Brioude: Tissandier, 1944.

Jalenques, Joseph. “La basilique Saint-Julien de Brioude.” Almanach de Brioude et de son arrondissement 38(1958):13-26.

Lefevre-Pontalis, Eugene. “Les dates de Saint-Julien de Brioude.” Congres archeologique (Le Puy) 71(1904):542-55.

Quarre, Pierre. “Saint-Julien de Brioude et l’art roman auvergnat.” Almanach de Brioude et de son arrondissement 49(1960): 59-72.