Saint-Hilaire church melle

The former priory church St-Hilaire in Melle is located in a small depression on the outskirts of Melle in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France. In the Middle Ages, the church was the main pilgrimage station of the city. Already in 1914, the building was recognized as a historical monument. Since 1998, the church has been awarded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Founded in the 11th century, the Benedictine priory of Melle belonged to the Abbey of Saint-Jean-d'Angély, about 50 km away. Like the mother monastery, Melle lay directly on the ever-evolving pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, so that the pilgrimage flowed abundantly. It must be assumed that the present church dates back to two construction periods: choir and transept probably originated in the second quarter of the 12th century, the nave was probably built towards the end of the 12th century and probably replaced a smaller predecessor building.

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