Romanesque church Saint Julian

15th century choir painting

Gradually, this listed monument freed itself from its yokes thanks to the presence of paintings in one of its chapels, and the town council looked for ways to undertake its restoration while respecting the church's historic past. It was during this restoration, under the aegis of Bâtiments de France and the town council, that all the 15th century paintings in the choir were discovered and brought to light. They were found to be complete and authentic.

Transept decoration

The decoration in the transept is older. The crescent moons, stars and false joints date from the late 13th century. The remains of several altars and the marks of statues leaning against them bear witness to the fact that the church was a place of special devotion. In the south arm of the transept, 3 superimposed layers of wall paintings have been discovered: The upper scene, dating from the 13th century, was covered at the beginning of the 15th century by another scene depicting the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, then at the end of the 16th century/beginning of the 17th century, an Adoration of the Magi was inlaid on the previous scene. In each case, an altar was attached to the painted representation and leaned against it.

Seigniorial chapel of the Lugny family

Within the church, 3 chapels dating from the 14th, 15th and early 16th centuries have been restored. The most recent of these, the Lugny chapel, was founded at the end of the 15th century by Claude de Lugny, 3rd house of the Lords of Ruffey, and features a series of exceptional paintings that were listed in the 19th century.

The double-span vault is painted azure blue and studded with gold stars. The ribs of the arches fall on arches representing angels supporting stone escutcheons. At the intersection of these arches are two large carved and painted keystones.

The whole is framed by an ornament formed of bramble leaves or rolled thistles, and bordered by a festoon whose points end in a flower.

A series of 16th century paintings depict the story of Mary:

Meeting of St Joachim and St Anne at the Porte Dorée, Birth of Mary, Annunciation, Visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, Circumcision of the Child Jesus, Purification of Mary, Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

West portal

The west doorway, concealed by a 17th-century porch, has a semi-circular opening lined on the outside with an ornate archivolt, which rests on abacuses supported by columns with capitals and decorated bases. A large 15th-century window opens above this doorway.

Chapel of Vellaufant

The oldest chapel, to the left of the chevet, was built in the 14th century and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. A 17th-century mural depicts the Visitation in a false frame.

The 18th-century altar-tomb, under which the Lords of Sennecey have been buried since 1824, has been refurbished and its faux-marble decoration restored and completed. The stained glass windows have been replaced in a diamond pattern with yellow filleting, as in the choir. The grille of the hagioscope was restored following the traces of sealing visible on the surround.