Southern Burgundy Romanesque ChurchesChissey les Mâcon

The Saint Pierre church of Chissey les Mâcon was built sometime during the 12th century. It was not the first church built in the village as records show that a church existed in 926. Saint Pierre was enlarged and remodeled in the 19th century when a west-facing choir and transept were built and the original choir was torn down. Thus Saint Pierre was changed forever as its steeple 'moved' from the back of the church to the front.

Saint Pierre originally had two sets of flying buttresses on each side that went from the top of each side in curve shape into the ground.

Inside Saint Pierre can be found a number of capitals dating from the 12th century. They were saved during the remodeling, but regretfully some were poorly restored and it difficult to make out their meaning. The bay windows of the steeple of Saint Pierre were built progressively larger the higher up they are. This was done to symbolize rising up to the light.

Hotels in Burgundy