Bénévent l'Abbaye is home to a very beautiful abbey church, built in the 11th and 12th centuries, in a transitional Romanesque style. The architecture of the church of Saint-Barthélémy is very homogeneous and typical of the Limousin Romanesque art. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1962. Its massive porch bell tower, its poly-lobed entrance portal and its octagonal lantern on the transept crossing make this building an exceptional monument.
Inside, 44 sculpted capitals separated in 3 sets are arranged in a coherent order.
The relics of Saint Bartholomew, who died in Benevento in Italy, are kept in the abbey.
Also worth seeing is the door of the abbey house, magnificently sculpted and which was the entrance door to the abbot's house. Later than the church (15th century), it is of flamboyant gothic style.
Other sights to see are the "Jardins suspendus", terraced gardens bordering the village walls, the "Château Migout", ironically named after a banker from the town, the Bergerie and the Place de la République, a former fairground, which recently became a starry square. Illuminated stars represent the constellation of the "Great Dog", the heart of which is Sirius, the brightest star that guided pilgrims on their way to Compostela.
The original fountain, made of granite from the Creuse, is bordered by medieval gardens.
Bénévent is also renowned for its know-how, in particular thanks to its chestnut shingle factory which remains one of the only ones in Europe to work according to the rules of the art.
It puts its know-how at the service of historical monuments and has, in particular, covered the facades of the houses of Mont Saint-Michel. The shingle house is also worth a visit.
Extraordinary and timeless meetings
Located on a road to Santiago de Compostela, Bénévent is also a superb stopover for pilgrims and hikers. It also offers an original show thanks to its time machine: the Scénovision®.
It will tell you the story of Marion, a young peasant girl in the 1900's, Paul Pelissier, a pharmacist-distiller and René, a companion and pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela.
Through six rooms, thanks to techniques coming from theater and cinema, this show-course will teach you a lot about the Creuse.
In the heart of each space, entirely reconstituted, a set of projections, 3D images, sounds, perfumes, animate and tell the story of Marion, a young peasant girl of the end of the 19th century: the life of the Creuse masons, an old-fashioned wedding, the pharmacist's laboratory, the secret of the plants used to distill Beneventine, the elixir of the monks of the old abbey with its mysterious recipe...
René, Marion's son, back from the Great War, also welcomes you... Companion, carpenter and pilgrim of Saint-Jacques, René tells here his tour of France. At the end of this visit, unlike any other, a room of giant games "1900 style" extends this real trip back in time.
Finally, don't forget to take part in the Giant Goose Game in a beautiful landscaped park decorated with Totem sculptures.
Pays des Eaux Vives Tourist Office
2 Rue de la Fontaine,
23210 Bénévent l'Abbaye
Tel : 05 55 62 68 35
https://www.beneventlabbaye.org/
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