ÉGLISE SAINT-PIERRE
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Church built around the XIth century, presenting a style which mixes Italian Renaissance and classical in Tonnerre.
Originally, Tonnerre was built on the plateau of the Vieux-Châteaux and had two churches: Saint-Aignan (destroyed at the beginning of the 15th century) and Saint-Pierre, its branch. The latter, located on a rocky promontory, was below the main town and was the link with the lower town built around Notre-Dame and the hospital. Built around the 11th century, Saint-Pierre was almost destroyed by fire in 1556. Restoration work began a few decades later and was completed in the 17th century. Hence its particular appearance, since the building today has a style that combines Italian Renaissance and classical. Note its bays adorned with grisaille panels of which there are few examples left in France and which were most probably made by a Trojan craftsman. As for the organ, its elaborate case bears the arms of the family of the Counts of Tonnerre (the Clermont-Tonnerre family). It was built around 1670 and is today one of the last specimens still existing in France.
Since 2016, the volunteers of the "Association for the influence of the church of Saint-Pierre de Tonnerre" have been working to structure the organization of visits and participate in the preservation of the building. Regularly concerts are organised with the profits going to the restoration of this beautiful church. Thus, Saint-Pierre is today one of the most important places in the cultural life of Tonner. A site that really deserves a visit.
