En savoir plus... Chapelles funéraires

The "Chapelle Vieille" ("Chapel Old") was built during the second campaign of the church construction. It was founded in its present form in 1375 by "Le Bon" ("The Good") duke Louis II of Bourbon. It is located in the southern part of the first transept and is from the XIIth century. It presents mitred archs and very remarkable romanesque capitals. Louis II made decorating it of rich cornices and bases of statues, a very beautiful credenza and an oratory. It was enclosed by a stone baluster with very fine sculptures and small rose windows, making a cloverleaf pattern. The mausoleum, which is in the middle of the chapel contains the bodies of Louis II and his wife, Anne Dauphine of Auvergne.
Plan de situation

The white stone base is decorated with escutcheons of Bourbons alterning with belts having the motto "Espérance" ("Hope") written on it.

On the table with moulding ledges lies the recumbents statues of the duke and the duchess.

Ceinture Espérance.

The dais above the heads are decorated on their posterior side with bas-reliefs depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus and the Coronation of the Virgin. In the same burial vault were buried the duke Jean I and his wife Marie de Berry, François Monsieur, brother of the Constable (commander of the armies) Charles III, last duke of Bourbon..

Gravure ancienne.

One can also admire a remarkable bas-relief of the XVIth century: The Entombment, coming from the workshop of Michel Colombe.

Mise au tombeau (XVe s.)



				Done up from 1448 on request of Charles I duke of Bourbon, by the ducal architect Poncelet, the "Chapelle Neuve" ("Chapel New") is made up of two bays and a three sections apse, of beautiful flamboyant archs. The emblem of duke Jean II, a grenade with a rising flame, figures in the decoration of the stone fence and on the keystones. Plan de situation The tomb of Charles I and Agnès of Burgundy was made by the sculptor from Lyon Jacques Morel. In this burial vault lies also Jean II (1488), Pierre II (1503), Anne de Beaujeu (1523), Suzanne, spouse of the Constable (1522), Louise Marie de Bourbon (1681, daughter of the king LouisXIV and Madame de Montespan) and the Prince Sixte of Bourbon-Parma (1934, brother of Empress of Austria Zita of Habsburg) Traduction : Louis Fongarnand (1) Thèse de l'école des Chartes "Les ducs de Bourbon face à la mort : les élections de sépulture (fin XIIIe-début XVIe siècle)" par Marc-Edouard GAUTIER. (2) Voir : Le château de Bouthéon dans le Forez (3) Lire : Les caveaux de Souvigny par Marcel Genermont
		The "Chapelle Vieille" ("Chapel Old") was built during the second campaign of the church construction. It was founded in its present form in 1375 by "Le Bon" ("The Good") duke Louis II of Bourbon. It is located in the southern part of the first transept and is from the XIIth century. It presents mitred archs and very remarkable romanesque capitals. Louis II made decorating it of rich cornices and bases of statues, a very beautiful credenza and an oratory. It was enclosed by a stone baluster with very fine sculptures and small rose windows, making a cloverleaf pattern. The mausoleum, which is in the middle of the chapel contains the bodies of Louis II and his wife, Anne Dauphine of Auvergne. Plan de situation The white stone base is decorated with escutcheons of Bourbons alterning with belts having the motto "Espérance" ("Hope") written on it. On the table with moulding ledges lies the recumbents statues of the duke and the duchess. Ceinture Espérance. The dais above the heads are decorated on their posterior side with bas-reliefs depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus and the Coronation of the Virgin. In the same burial vault were buried the duke Jean I and his wife Marie de Berry, François Monsieur, brother of the Constable (commander of the armies) Charles III, last duke of Bourbon.. Gravure ancienne. One can also admire a remarkable bas-relief of the XVIth century: The Entombment, coming from the workshop of Michel Colombe. Mise au tombeau (XVe s.)