Souvigny

Infobox Commune de France
nomcommune=Souvigny
région=Auvergne
département=Allier
arrondissement=Moulins
canton=Souvigny
insee=03275
cp=03210
maire= Christian Soteau
mandat=2008-
intercomm=Moulins
longitude=3.19277777778
latitude=46.5355555556
alt moy=242 m
alt mini=224 m
alt maxi=357 m
hectares=4435
km²=44,35
sans=1952
date-sans=1999
dens=44|

Souvigny is a commune in the Allier department in Auvergne in central France.

Today the main town of a canton of the Allier department, Souvigny has long been one of the major towns in the Bourbonnais (it used to be the capital of that region), and the royal House of Bourbon was based there. Ties with the nearby Cluny Abbey add to its rich history. [http://www.ville-souvigny.com/ (accessed September 30, 2007)]

Souvigny was nominated “great regional site of Auvergne” in 1993 on the basis of its architectural riches, and subsequently, in 2003, it was made "great Romanesque sanctuary of Auvergne".

The museums, gardens, annual exhibitions, and excursions to the Priory attract a great many tourists every year. The conserved wooded areas add to interest for tourists.

The Priory houses the remains of two abbots of Cluny who died at Souvigny: Mayeul, the fourth abbot (who died in 994) and his successor Odilon (who passed away in 1049). Their sepulchres, which had sank into oblivion after the ravishings of the French Revolution, were rediscovered by archaeologists in 2001 and 2002. [ [http://www.ville-souvigny.com/ Souvigny, site officiel ] ]

The town numbers some 2000 inhabitants, and has two primary schools and a public nursery school. Public events include—
* a cookery demonstration (third weekend of January)
* an antiques fair (in May)
* a medieval fair (beginning on the last Saturday of July) [http://www.souvigny.com/ (accessed September 30, 2007)]
* autumn music days (last weekend of September)
* regional sale of antiquarian books (in November). [ [http://www.ville-souvigny.com/ Souvigny, site officiel ] ]

Architecture

The Benedictine Priory is outstanding in the Bourbonnais region. Beside a few abbots, the Dukes of Bourbon were buried here.

The region shows a convergence of styles. While Romanesque buildings in the proper sense are not found here, influences from Auvergne, Berry and Bourguignon are combined. The restoration around 1435 exemplifies a more straightforward Gothic style. [" [Larousse] Encyclopédie française: La grande encyclopédie", Paris 1971-76:1902-03]

Notes