This 12th century Romanesque church is very sober and is characterized above all by its architectural harmony and the layout of the volumes.
Many alterations have profoundly changed the initial appearance of the building which consisted of: a single nave of four bays, a bay under coachman covered with a dome and a semicircular apse.
Very large arcades were opened in the walls of the nave, following the addition of chapels in the 15th century. The north chapel has retained its ribbed vault, however, the chapel built to the south has lost its half-barrel vault. The nave lost its barrel vault during the restorations of 1875 in favor of a plaster vault. Fortunately, despite the successive modifications, this church has preserved beautiful examples of Gothic wall paintings. On the apse's cul-de-four vault, the chosen theme is a representation of a Christ in majesty surrounded by the tetramorph, as is very often the case. On the south wall of the bay under the bell tower, a painting represents a Christ on the Cross lying on the ground. On the walls of the nave and the apse, runs a funerary liter. This privilege reserved for lords allowed their funerals to display their coats of arms on strips painted directly on the walls or on black velvet fabrics stretched inside and outside the churches and chapels. The Saint-Cybard church also has two finely sculpted and gilded altarpieces dating from the 17th century. The tabernacle is surmounted by two angels and the steps bear two statues: Saint-Augustin and Mary Magdalene. The two motifs represent the Nativity and the Annunciation. A massive square bell tower has two floors. The first level is decorated on its four sides with blind arches, the second level is animated by twin bays. In 2001 the restoration of the church was completed with the installation of stained glass windows created by the painter Marie-Josépha Tournon. The bay on the axis of the choir represents Saint-Cybard when he lived as a recluse in a cave under the ramparts of Angoulême.
Free information :
Free visit on request
Costumed
Individual visit services
- Unguided individual tours on request
Opening
Free visit on request.