The Collegiate Church of St Junien

It’s easy to forget that when the majority of ‘medieval’ churches were built, they would have completely dominated the surrounding area.

In France, this is perhaps especially obvious in the northern half of the country, which contains vast tracts of flat farmland. The great cathedral of Chartres, for example, can quite literally be seen for miles around.

In modern times, of course, whole towns and cities have developed around the older churches, diminishing their visual impact. However, in the nearby town of Saint-Junien, the Collegiate church (not, in truth, an exceptionally large edifice) still has some open aspects.

I took this photo while standing outside a Chinese takeaway, which definitely wasn’t there when the church was built.

CWWC 21 March 2024