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Saint Foy abbey-church

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Plan and structure

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A pilgrimage church

Both the reception and the movement of crowds have determined the abbey-church structure. The aisles which frame the nave channelled the pilgrims towards the ambulatory which semicircle surrounds the choir, place of exhibition for the statue of Saint Foy and various relics. The nave and two arms of the transept which are widely sized can hold hundreds of the faithful and allow them all to see the priest officiating at the high altar then settled at the intersection of the two perpendicular axes under the dome. In case of exceptional crowds, the huge galleries ornamented with gemeled arches could also be used. Eastwards, the seven chapels opened on the ambulatory and transept increased the number of secondary altars and enabled the simultaneous mass celebration by the ordained monks.

Foundations and excavations

This cruciform plan with its radiating chapels is in its broad lines that of churches called «of the pilgrimage routes» such as Saint Sernin of Toulouse. Nevertheless, within this group, Saint Foy holds its own personality. Indeed, in a great way, we can notice that its specific characters are the result of the natural conditions which the architects imperatively had to submit to. For, even if the site originally selected by Dadon was suitable for a hermitage, it did not lend itself afterwards to the building of an abbey-church and such an important church. Thus, huge retaining walls had to be erected in order to avoid landslides northwards and to support the current cloister's platform southwards. Therefore, from the Place Chirac, the abbey-church seems to be buried away in a pit whereas on the opposite side it stately overlooks the cloister which is hanged above the ravine. The available area for building must have been very limited. Moreover, the presence of the Plô fountain and its underground reservoir underneath the square prevented the church from extending in this direction.

Inner architecture

These various necessities imposed by the topography of the site of Conques explain the very compact plan, the slightly deep apse with three chapels instead of five as a rule, the very short nave (20,70 m) in comparison with the uncommonly vast transept (35 m) and, as if to compensate for its ground dimensions modesty, the building grew at the top. This is probably its greatest novelty. Let's consider that Saint Sernin of Toulouse with almost a double total length is slightly less high than Saint Foy under the nave vault. Outside the same slenderness can be found back on the high wall which fortress-like austerity is only brightened up thanks to the rosaces in polychrome stones. On the side, nothing can break the verticality of the buttresses which spring up to the roof in a single stream. Walking round the building, we can suddenly discover the chevet and the magnificence of its pyramidal rise. The three-staged form of its volumes, superbly dressed, reflects there the inner structure of the church.

Texts from Jean-Claude FAU Editions of Beffroi - Regional Council of Aveyron Photographs from André KUMURDJIAN Translation from Valérie FABRE

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