Notre Dame de Trois-Palis is a small church located in the center of the town of Trois-Palis. From the Romanesque period, it was listed as a historic monument in 1886.
The conical spire covered with pine cone scales that rises above the square bell tower can be seen from afar. It dominates a small Romanesque building located in the heart of the town.
Its façade is divided into three floors: At the top, in the triangular gable wall, Christ in Majesty is surrounded by the tetramorph (set of four symbolic representations of the evangelists: the bull of Saint Luke; the eagle of Saint John; the lion of Saint Mark; the angel of Saint Matthew). This theme is directly inspired by the Saint-Pierre cathedral in Angoulême. The central space, between the gable and the portal, is occupied by modern high reliefs representing Christ surrounded by the Virgin and Saint John. On the ground floor, the sculpture made of foliage and animals is present on the arches of the portal.
Restored in 1891 century, the small church of Notre-Dame has undergone major modifications. A semicircular apse replaced a flat chevet and the nave was vaulted.
Inside, the building consists of a single nave, split into three bays. The walls of the nave are clad with large pointed arches. The south wall of the nave is pierced by three bays, while the north wall is blind. In the extension of the nave, a bay under a bell tower deserves attention. The columns arranged in this space are all endowed with a rich sculpted program that develops in the capitals. They are all historiated and represent the themes frequently deployed near the sanctuary: original sin and the fight between Good and Evil.
The semicircular apse replaced a flat chevet in the 19th century. It has a cul-de-four vault.
Listed as a Historic Monument in 1886.
Open every day from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.