Eglise de la Purification de la Vierge

The western façade and nave walls of this church are Romanesque. The bell tower, of Romanesque tradition, is later; finally, the chancel is flamboyant Gothic. It should be noted that this church was not altered in the 19th century. The parish church of Notre Dame de la Purification is located in the heart of the village of Berzé-la-Ville. Built in the 11th century, it belonged to the Abbey of Cluny. All that remains of the Romanesque period are the outer walls, the western facade and the semi-circular upper bay (in the gable), which lights up the roof. The church underwent alterations in the 15th-16th and 18th centuries: the nave was partially enlarged, and the bell tower and choir were partly rebuilt in the 15th century. The most remarkable feature is the painted decoration that adorns the choir, apse and north and south chapels. It was painted using the stencil technique in the 16th century, a rare example of this type of pictorial decoration in Burgundy. The current openings, doors and windows, date from the 18th century. Since 1982, the Friends of Vieux Berzé have been contributing to the restoration of this building, which has been listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments since 1993.