CAROLINGIAN ORATORY OF GERMIGNY-DES-PRES
VISITOR INFORMATION
HISTORY
The name of Germigny­des­Prés originates from a gallo­roman villa built by a man
called Germanicus. This villa, which was later owned by the abbots of Fleury in
Saint­Benoît­sur­Loire, was transformed into a secondary residence by Theodulf. He was a close advisor to
Charlemagne as well as the bishop of Orleans and the abbot of Fleury. He added an oratory (private
chapel), which was richly ornamented with mosaics, stucco works and a polychrome marble pavement.
This chapel was dedicated in January 806 AD.
The oratory burned down at the end of the 9th century and become a parish church in the 11th century. A
nave was added to the oratory in place of the western apse. In the 15th century a larger nave replaced the
former one. In the second part of the 18th century, the mosaics were covered by thick lime paint.
The apse mosaic was rediscovered around 1820, when the priest of the parish noticed that children played
with some coloured glass cubes found in the church. The mosaic was then restored. The oratory itself was
designated a historic monument in 1840 (it is one of the first listed monuments in France). As the building
was falling into ruin, a restoration began 1867. A large part of the oratory was then rebuilt.
ARCHITECTURE
Outside
To understand the architecture of the oratory, it is best to look at it from outside.
Take the path between the church and the tourist office to reach the apse of the building.
From there you can see the two different parts, the oratory and the “modern” nave.
The chapel was built around the tower, which diffuses light throughout the edifice.
4 aisles and 4 angle rooms reinforce the tower. Each aisle is completed by
an apse.
Two smaller apses framed the eastern one.
They were destroyed during the restorations of the 19th century.
original ground plan of the oratory
Continue to walk around the edifice. A porch was built in front of the
southern face of the building. Underneath you find an octagonal basin,
probably a baptismal font of the 9th century.
The inscription above the door was originally situated in the tower. It is
known thanks to the Catalogus of the abbots of Fleury, written at the end of
the 9th century. « I, Theoduf, have dedicated this temple to the glory of God.
All you who come to this place, remember me ».
­
Go back to the main facade and enter the church.
Inside
When you reach the ancient part of the edifice, you
y will be able to locate the western apse
in the pavement.
A Latin inscription on the south­eastern pillar specifies:
« 3rd January, dedication of this church ».
»
A second inscription on the north­eastern
eastern pillar indicates the year (806) of the
dedication, but specialists think that this inscription is a falsification of the 19th century…
…
The arches are in the shape of a horseshoe (horseshoe arch).
This is due to the Visigotic (Northern
hern Spanish)
Spa
origins of Theodulf.
The original floor was laid
d 1.15m under the current level. It was a polychrome marble pavement, similar to the one
of the choir of the abbey church
urch of Saint­Benoît­sur­Loire.
Saint
The mosaic
It is the only mosaic of this period remaining in France. The subject, the Ark
of the Covenant,
Covenant is unique. Theodulf refused the images of God, Christ, the
Virgin Maria and the Saints in the churches, being afraid they would lead to
idolatry. This is the reason why he employed the Ark of the Covenant to
show the Presence and the Word of God. According to the Bible (Exodus
(Exo
25,
10
10­21)
the Ark of the Covenant is a chest containing the Tablets of Stone on
which the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The
description of the Ark of the Covenant can be found in the Bible.
Bible The
execution of the mosaic is a faithful reproduction of the Bible text.
An inscription
i
under the Ark of the Covenant says:
« Look at the holy Oracle and the Cherubim,
Cherubim contemplate the splendour of the Ark of the Covenant and, doing this,
try to touch with your prayers the Master
aster of Thunder,
Th
associating, I pray you, the name of Theodulf.
Theodulf »
Different materials were used in the mosaic, according to the colours required:: coloured glass
glas cubes sometimes
covered by a thin film of gold or silver, pottery fragments, small stones of the Loire.
A few remainss of other mosaics can be seen in the arches under the main mosaic.
The stucco works are copies of the 19th century, placed during the restoration. A few fragments of the original stucco
works are conserved at the archeological museum in Orléans.
Furnishing of the oratory :
­ Under the mosaic : pieta (Burgundy, 16th century)
­ Northern apse: Saint Anna with Virgin Maria as a child (wood, 15th century).
­ In the nave: the lustres were created in 2003 by the Atelier Jacques Loire. Their form evocates the form of
Charlemagne’s crown. The symbols represented on these lustres invite the visitor to participate in the breath
of the Universe which for the Christians, goes from the Humanity towards God, then, from God, comes down
again towards Humanity.
­ The stained­glass
glass windows of the nave are the work of Louis­René
Louis
Petit.
­ The baptistery located
ed right of the exit, is a 19th century copy of a baptistery of the 11th century.
century
You will find at the Tourist Office shop a choice of books and leaflets.
You will also have the possibility to admire a shrine for relics made
ma of enamel of
Limoges (12th or 13th century).The
).The Tourist Office organizes guided visits of the oratory all
year round for groups (on request) and for individuals during the summer season.
Concerts are also organized in the oratory, please ask for the program.
Office de Tourisme Val d’Or et Forêt : 00 33 (0)2 38 58 27 97 – www.tourisme­loire­foret.com
www.tourisme