Germigny-des-Prés Travel Guide

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The mosaicfor the Apse dome was probably created in and transported from Ravenna, shows the Ark of the Covenant guarded by two cherubim (with 4 wings) and flanked by two large Archangels plus beautiful foliage. Note that there are no depictions of humans. Theodulf was a vigorous writer of pro-iconoclasstic documents. The Ark is a prefiguration of Christ who cannot be shown. Also note that there is ample light in the apses provided by windows, in three metal sealed tiers, sealed by panes of thin alabaster (plate glass had not yet been perfected).

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The little church was created in the 15C by adding a nave and a 19C bell-tower to the west apse of a preexisting Carolingian oratory built in 806 by Theodulf Abbot of Fleury (the monastery at St.-Benoit-sur-Lore which has assumed again its ancient name). He was Charlemagne’s personal adviser and came from Spain. The oratory was modeled after the palatine chapel in Aachen; both were derived from Byzantine sourccs like those in Ravenna. This was a private chapel, part of the Abbot’s villa, 3.5 km from the Abbey in St.-Benoit. The villa was destroyed by raiding Normans in the 9C. The 15C nave now leads into the Greek Cross older chapel. There is a crossing dome that is heavily supported. The arches are rounded but in the Byzantine manner. The main (east) apse is mounted by a blind arcade that once had patterned mosaic decoration.There is primitive carving of the capitals. Above this on the dome is a remarkable mosaic (described separately).

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Inside the oratory, in the western apse, is an archway, decorated with a half dome mosaic unique in France, dating from the 9th century. Over 130,000 broken glass bricks of different colours (white, blue, white, black, gold....). It was the work of a Byzantine artist; later it was covered with whitewash and it was discovered in the 19th century.
The mosaic shows the Ark of the Alliance: two great angels bend it on a blue and gold background where the hand of God is seen.

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The oratory was built in 806 by Theodulf, bishop pf Orleans, abbot of St.Benoit and private counsellor to the emperor Charlemagne, on a project of the armenian architect Odo. Originally it was the oratory of his villa but it was destroied by the Normans. This square, four-winged building is constructed around a lantern tower (15th century).
During restoration work in 1868, initiated by Juste Lisch, two apsidioles were destroyed and the facade was modified.