Abbey of Mozac

the abbey Saint-Pierre and Saint-Caprais of Mozac (in Auvergne, France) close to Riom is classified Historic building and Romance High-Place. The common of Mozac and the association which makes promotion of it, the historical Club mozacois, adhere to the Fédération of the sites clunisiens. The abbey of Mozac is regarded as a " site emblématique" in the Great European cultural route, label decreed with the Federation of the sites clunisiens by the the Council of Europe.

Its great fame is due to the quality of the invoice of its Romance capitals and to the Châsse of saint Calmin (founder of the Abbaye) who is tallest Reliquaire in enamels limousins of the Moyen-âge preserved at the world.

The abbey also has, since 8th or 9th century, the Relique S of holy Austremoine, first bishop of Clermont and evangelist of the Auvergne. The bones are preserved in a Châsse out of wood painted of the 16th century.

Brief history

Origins

533 or 680: the Abbaye is founded by Calminius (holy Calmin) and his wife Namadia (holy Namadie). Calmin would have enriched the community, which it had just created, of prestigious Relique S (of holy Pierre and saint Caprais d' Agen) that it had reported of Rome, of the island of Lérins and Agen.
764 or 848: The king Pip the Brief or Pépin II of Aquitaine gives the relics of holy Austremoine, first bishop and evangelist of Auvergne. The abbey becomes royal then. Later, one will see this royal protection by the presence of the Fleur of lily on the blazon of the Monastère.
1095 : The pope Urbain II, launching the First crusade with the Council of Clermont, benefits from it to affiliate the abbey of Mozac to the Ordre of Cluny. Mozac could keep its importance because it preserved its title of abbey.
1165 : The pope Alexandre III gives a bubble of confirmation of the goods and privileges which enumerates all dependences (priories, nominations, etc) of the abbey of Mozac. (See on Wikisource)

The abbey Romance one

Beginning 12th century: Construction of abbey the Romance.

1477 and 1490: The abbey is largely destroyed by a series of earthquakes. Romance church and préromane, only remain the central Nef with its forty seven famous capitals, the Northern side (visible frontage since the street), and bases it and the first stage of the Carolingian porch (Western). The remainder (the chorus, the Transept, the Side southern, the cloister and buildings conventual) is restored by the abbot Raimond de Marcenat. A new architectural style, the Gothic , is then used. The stone of Volvic (volcanic stone) is used to replace limestone. The Romance parts collapsed, including the capitals, are employed again in the new Gothic walls. That explains why the historical Club mozacois discovered since 1980 thirty-two Romance capitals which are exposed to the concise museum.

Modern time

1516 : The abbey is put in commende. The abbot is directly designated by the king.
June 25th 1783: A mud torrent after a violent one storm crosses the enclosure of the abbey and collapses partially a mill in the south of the property and several places of the mural enclosure. Following the bad weather, most of the territory of Mozac is drowned and harvests (vines, corns, etc) are destroyed. (See on Wikisource).
1790 : The last six monks must leave the monastery which will become soon the single parish church of the commune of Mozac.

See also: Contenu=Voir also the ''' [[list of the abbots of Mozac]] '''.

Structure and sculptures

Quotations of historians of art

Prosper Mérimée (1837): “What makes the church of Mozat particularly interesting, these are the capitals which, for the merit of the execution, can be compared with best Brioude. ”
Male Emile (1922): “In Auvergne, the most beautiful historiés capitals are those of Mozac. ”
Bernard Craplet (1972): “capitals of Mozat are perhaps most beautiful of Auvergne. For the decorative direction, the safety of the page layout, the technical ability, they do not have an equivalent in the province. ”
Zygmunt Swiechowsky (1973): “Origins of the cycles auvergants: Mozac. Initially, on our investigations the sculpture of Mozac because of its high-quality is essential. ”

Capitals of the nave

Random links: