Main streets and places of the city
| Let's go sight seeing | |
|
SAINT-ANDRE'S CHURCH (Place du Château) / Eglise St André
In the third century a chapel was built on the wall of a Gallo-Roman offidum. Then it was transformed into a church called Saint Andre. The architectural grouping of the church lets see two parts :
⇒ The Romanesque part
→ In the 11th and the 12th century two buildings had been built on the site. A fire destroyed them in the 15th century. The church was built again by Antoine de Vernoilles, the prior of Tarare. Antoine de Vernoilles's coat of Arms, une croix Ancrée ( a cross in the shape of an anchor), now belongs to the town of Tarare.
→ From 1823 to 1827, Mr. Paulet, an architect from Lyon, supervised the building of the church. Stones from Couzon were used for the front and stones from Glay were used for the porch.
→ In 1967, four remarkable stain-glass windows designed in Sermesse (Saône et Loire) by the master glazier G. Bertrand were put up. They represent the symbols of the Evangelists :
St John : an Eagle -St Mark : a Lion
St Mathew : a Book - St Luke : an Ox
⇒ The Neo-Gothic part
→ From 1866 to 1870, Tony Desjardins the master architect of Lyon, built the Neo-Gothic part which is an extension of the Romanesque one. The stain-glass windows of the choir and transept represent gospel scenes and those along the naves represent notorious saints.
≈ Major works of art
- A gilded wooden altarpiece from the 17th century, offered Mrs Montventoux.
- A white marble statue of the Virgin Mary called "Notre Dame du Bon Accueil". It was sculpted by Jean Bonnassieux, a native of the region.
- A beautiful wooden Christ dating from the 16th century.
- The marble altar on a gilded background decorated with sculptures representing "The Last Supper".
St André 's church is one of the most beautiful monuments in the west of the Lyon region. Faith and Art met there combining gracefully several styles with various materials (stone, wood, glass).
MAIN STREETS AND PLACES OF THE CITY
Castle Square :
The noble family of "Tarare" owned a castle surrounded by ramparts on the site which dominated the town. Then the buildings were sold to the Prior of the powerful Abbay of Savigny.
Portelle street :
It is so called because at the end of the street there was a door in the rampart of the "vingtain".
Vingtain : name given to the buildings and castle which belonged to the Prior. The latter would raise taxes (1/20 of the harvest) which were to help with the fortification upkeep.
Castle street :
The name comes from the old stronghold of the priory. Moreover you can see a building from the 15th century : the Tower of "La Prébende Des Martin". The Tower has been converted into a cultural center. It houses the Society of History and Archeology of the Mounts of Tarare.
Anna Bibert pedestrian street (formerly named : Déguirasse street).
At number 10 : George Antoine SIMONET was born there in 1710. He created the muslin (mousseline). The Simonet were wealthy merchants and one of the oldest families in Tarare.
Gaston Salet street :(formerly called Capucins street)
- 1700 to 1792 : a capuchin convent was built between Gaston salet and Castle street.
- 1792 : the building became public property and was converted into a Town Hall.
- 1902 : the street was called after a solicitor (Gaston Salet), who was killed in Belfort while the town was besieged in 1871.
At the number 24 you can see the coat of arms of Antoine de Vernoilles.
Market Square :
Old houses dating back to the 15th century.
On "Le Café du Centre" : you can see a tower and casement windows. This house used to belong to the Andrieux family, notorious dyers.
The center Andre Malraux :
Building dating from the 14th. It used to be presbytery of St André's Church.
It has been turned into a Cultural Center. It houses temporary exhibitions and a music school.
A "niche" is opposite the Center Andre Malraux.
Love Well :
This small monument used to be in the gardens of J.B Martin-Gubian's property (now converted into a hospital). The name of the well was taken from the sad history of a crime passionnel : Charles Dumas, deputy mayor of Tarare, was murdered by his mistress in the 1930's. This monument now stands on castle square.
The chapel of Bel-Air (17th century) :
It stands right up the hill called Bel-Air. It is a place of pilgrimage. It is said that a poor wretch had taken away the statue of the Virgin, but the next day it was found in the place where it belonged. The same story happened twice so it was soon regarded as a miracle.
|
