Church on Sunday...St. Martial Chateauneuf-sur-Loire

The original church of Saint Martial de Châteauneuf-sur-Loire dates from the13th century but what you see today is a church whose ultimate design is the result of religious wars revolution and world wars. Some Romanesque features remain alongside Gothic and add to this 15^th 16^th and 17^th century ‘reworks’ and what we now have is a building of three parts. You enter the church from under an arched porch which is actually the old nave with its sides removed, WWII damage meant this was necessary.

Inside the ‘newer’ church your eyes are immediately drawn upwards to the wood panelled ceiling of the nave.

The 17th century altarpiece, restored after the last war, is decorated with two statues (Saint Martial and Saint Pierre) plus and a crucifix. 

The church's famous marble mausoleum erected in honor of the Marquis Louis de La Phélypeaux Vrilliere in 1686 by his son Balthazar, required only slight restoration.

 It is apparently "a fine example of funeral art Italian classic".

Most of the stained glass has been replaced by modern examples.

There is an interesting 'salon' set up at the back of the church.

The three parts...