Exterior view of the St Martin collegiate church in Brive-La-Gaillarde

New: guided tour of the Collegiate Church of Brive-La-Gaillarde

Published on May 31, 2024 by Marc-Olivier AGNES

La traditional tour of downtown Brive goes through the Saint Martin collegiate church. A historical presentation and a few words on the archaeological crypt are discussed.

But this monument deserves special attention and a specially dedicated visit. This is why the Tourist Office's heritage guides offer a complete analysis of its architecture, its decoration, its constructive details and its evolution. 

This collegiate church, the beating heart of downtown Brive, is both a reflection of history since the 5th century and the most visible architectural monument on the horizon and its walls, even its mysteries, are not necessarily good known to Brivists.

From floor to ceiling, its stones hide stories in History, between the sarcophagi, its lapidary marks, its capitals, its modillions and its stained glass windows.

Tickets

  • Friday October 18 at 10 p.m.
  • Friday, November 22 at 15 p.m.
  • Friday December 20 at 15 p.m.

Prices: €8 per person. Information and reservations 05 55 24 08 80 or at the lighthouse.

A collegiate church shaped since the 5th century

Resulting from the know-how of medieval builders, this monument also reflects the great urban epics of Briva Curetia (The bridge over the Corrèze) in the 5th century, in the Romanesque era of the 12th century, in the Gothic era of the 14th century, in the 19th century century with the consequences of the Revolution and finally to the archaeological finds of the 20th century.

All its traces evoke the life of a distant past, its beliefs, its customs through the life of the monks of St Augustine, the importance of relics and artisans in the service of religious power translating into their productions the lights of an era deemed unfairly dark. All you need to do is discover the reliquaries and secrets of the Freemasons, faithful companions of the blaze, from local quarries down to the slates of its roof.

interior of the Saint-Martin collegiate church in Brive

Practical

  • Duration of the visit: 1h30
  • Visit offered to groups on request
  • For any further information: 05 55 24 08 80
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