A real masterpiece of Romanesque art, Saint-Eutrope Basilica in Saintes amazes visitors with its two superimposed choirs and its crypt!
A real masterpiece of Romanesque art, Saint-Eutrope Basilica in Saintes amazes visitors with its two superimposed choirs and its crypt, one of the largest in Europe. Start by admiring its exterior architecture. Look up to be astonished by the height of its Flamboyant Gothic bell tower, rising more than 80 metres in the air and overlooking the capital of the Romanesque Saintonge region.
Continue your tour by entering this site steeped in history, where you will sense an invitation to spiritual reflection. Begin with the narrow upper church, with its remarkable and storied capitals like the Weighing of Souls and Daniel in the Lions’ Den. Saint-Eutrope’s Romanesque capitals are gorgeous sculpted pieces from the late 11th century, veritable treasures of this fantastic monument.
Then, move on to the funerary basilica, also known as the crypt. This is the oldest part of the building. The crypt’s dimensions make it one of Europe’s biggest Romanesque. Its total length is 35 metres, with a height of 5 metres under the vaulted ceilings. The 53 capitals, primarily adorned with plant-based compositions (palmettes, acanthus leaves, foliage scrolls, etc.), will parade by your eyes, taking you back to the 11th century.
L’Église Saint-Eutrope de Saintes est un joyau de l’art roman qui ne laisse pas insensible ses visiteurs. C’est également une étape sur le chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle. Elle est d’ailleurs à ce titre classée au Patrimoine Mondial de l’UNESCO depuis 1998.
Saint-Eutrope Basilica in Saintes is a jewel of Romanesque art that leaves no visitor unmoved. It is also a stopover along the Camino de Santiago. In that respect, it has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998.