The parish church of Saint-Pierre d’Uzerche belonged to the former Benedictine abbey of this name. Traditionally, it has been considered that this monastery was founded around the year 760, during the time of Pepin the Short (714-768), on the site of a pre-existing church. Later, this church would have been destroyed and disappeared.
However, the monastery was founded in the year 987 by Bishop Hildegaire of Limoges. After a fire that occurred in 1028, the church was rebuilt, at which time the crypt that still exists was constructed. In the year 1085, the main altar was consecrated, and in 1097 the church, dedicated to Saint Peter. Later, significant modifications were made, and during the Hundred Years' War, the church was fortified.
Later on, the building suffered the effects of the Wars of Religion. In 1619, the abbey was militarily occupied, which led to the loss of the central apse of the church. Although the site was restored, it could not fully recover and went through a long period of decline. In the second half of the 17th century, the monastery joined the Benedictine congregation of the Exempts, until, in 1747, it was secularized and converted into a collegiate church. With the Revolution, the church acquired the status of a parish. During the 19th century, significant conservation and restoration works were carried out.
The monastery church preserves the 11th-century crypt, above which rises the chancel, with an ambulatory that originally had five radial chapels, of which the central one was lost. A transept separates this space from the naves. The bulk of the construction dates from the 11th century, although it has undergone modifications, especially of a defensive nature. Over the crossing and the central nave rises a small dome, and over the second section of the central nave, the bell tower. The tower attached to the right of the west facade is from the 19th century.
Crypt
Crypt
Crypt
- BEAUNIER, Dom (1912). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France. Vol. 5. Bourges. Abbaye de Ligugé
- CHAMPEVAL, J.-B. (1901). Cartulaire de l'abbaye d'Uzerche (Corrèze). París: Picard
- COLLE-MADIES, Karine (2007). Uzerche, église Saint-Pierre. Congrès archéologique de France, 163e session, 2005, Corrèze. Société française d’archéologie
- MAURY, Jean (1960). Limousin roman. La Nuit des temps, 11. Zodiaque
- SAINT-MAUR, Congregació de (1720). Gallia Christiana in provincias ecclesiasticas distributa. Vol. 2. París: Typographia Regia
Uzerche is located north of Brive-la-Gaillarde, in the direction of Limoges