Eglise Saint-Hilaire de Melle

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the church of Saint-Hilaire, late 11th-early 12th century, is located outside the city walls, on the pilgrims' route to Compostela. It is one of the most complete monuments of the Poitevin Romanesque. Outside, the chevet with ambulatory and radiating chapels with perfectly balanced proportions is bordered by the banks of the Béronne, which was crossed by ford.
The north facade has about twenty original capitals where monsters, fantastic beings and plants of a remarkable finesse of style rub shoulders. The sculptural ornamentation is abundant and rich, like Christ surrounded by figures from the south inner portal, a rare arrangement in the region. As for the equestrian statue of the north side door, a classic element of Poitevin's churches, it is said to depict the lord of Melle protecteur de la population.