Abbatiale de Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe

Rebuilt in the 11th century, the abbey is built to a Latin cross plan. It houses the largest collection of Romanesque murals in France, listed as part of Unesco's World Heritage. Executed circa 1100 by a single workshop, they are to be found throughout the building and their theme is related to the to the place where they are located.

Three major topics are covered: the lives of the saints, the Old and New Testament.

This ensemble, hailed by André Malraux as "the Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque period" owes its conservation to Prosper Merimee who initiated the first restoration project.