Besse in Chandesse

The origin of Besse in Chandesse is still to elucidate. Concerning the name of the village, one knows that there is nearly thousand years, fires of Besse depended on another place, more important: chandess, today hamlet of Chandèze. At the time medieval, the village affirms its position of stage, of relai, market and fair.

The church Saint Andre was built at the end of XIIe. The building, become too small with the surge of the pilgrims coming to venerate Notre Dame de Vassivière, was increased in 1551, the chorus was replaced by a flat bedside.

Then, to XVIIe and XVIIIe centuries, of the side chapels were added and the taken again porch. In 1822, a semicircular apse replaced the flat bedside and in 1862, a bell-tower will replace that destroyed under revolution (M.H. 1886).

The Romance capitals which surmount the columns of the arcades making communicate the nave and the sides represent the history of Lazarre, the feast of the bad rich person, the passion of Saint Andre, the man held monkey leaves some, (hold, as in Thuret once again) minotaures and centaurs. The 28 capitals of the nave and crossing testify to the ingeniousness of the sculptors auvergnats.

Behind the furnace bridge is the statue of Our-Lady-of-Vassivière, black Vierge with her child on the knees.

(see virgin black file and black virgins)

http://lieuxsacres.canalblog.com/archives/vierges_noires__fichier/index.html

http://lieuxsacres.canalblog.com/archives/vierges_noires/index.html

On July 2, this statue is assembled in the mountain pastures, with the vault of Vassivière, high place of pilgrimage of Auvergne. It is gone down again to the church of Besse Sunday following on September 21, in the festival of the “Dévalade”. (see Vassivière)

http://lieuxsacres.canalblog.com/archives/vassiviere/index.html

At the entry of the church, northern side, stones are crimped in the wall. It seems to to me that a guard, or another thing of rather powerful, is held there. On the other side of the wall, a masonry and… a room with a bed! I believe that I would not like too much to sleep here.