Octagone of Montmorillon

The octogonal of Montmorillon is a Romance vault funerary 12th century of the town of Montmorillon (Vienna). It is historic building since 1840.

Form

The majority of the churches and the vaults of the Moyen-âge which remained until our time have the shape of cross. As the name indicates it, this one with the characteristic to be in form of regular Octogone (with eight with dimensions equal).
The builders of the time had been probably inspired by the Vault of the Rock of Jerusalem of the time (current mosque of Omar) which had an octagonal form and the Holy Sepulchre which had the form of a rotonde.
Figure 8 was the symbol of the Résurrection.

The vault is decorated with modillons (monsters, animals).

Restoration

In 1997-1999, the vault was renovated, in particular to take again the aspect which it had at the 17th century: the shape of the bell-tower changed and it became a Lanternon in form of Campanile.

Structure of the frame

Principal rafter, bell-tower, framing, tie-beam, farm and skylight…

See too

External bonds

For photographs before the restoration of 1997, to see http://serge.picault.free.fr/cpmontmorillon_octogone.htm.
or http://www.ville-montmorillon.fr/Monument/octogone.html
For more details on the Christian religious buildings of octagonal form, to see http://www.templiers.net/symbolique/architecture.php.

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