Saint-Aignan (Loir-et-Cher)
Saint- Aignan in France is a municipality with 3084 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) in the Centre region in the department of Loir -et -Cher in the arrondissement Romorantin- Lanthenay and the canton of Saint- Aignan, whose capital it is.
Located on the south side of the Cher municipality covers an area of 18.48 square kilometers; it is from 64 to 164 meters above sea level. 2007 the municipality had 3,209 inhabitants; 1999, there were 3,542. Mayor since 2008, Jean -Michel Billon.
Demographic development
Attractions
The Historic Town of Saint - Aignans is well preserved. In the narrow streets there are numerous buildings, some of which are several hundred years old. Below the city flows the Cher, the branches here and a small island forms that can be used for recreational purposes. Main attractions of the city are the collegiate church of Saint -Aignan and the castle of Saint- Aignan.
Collegiate Church of Saint Aignan
The present church of Saint -Aignan was built in the period from the early 11th to the early 13th century in place of a chapel built in the 9th century. The chapel had relics of St.. Anianus Bishop of Orléans received and had become a much-visited pilgrimage. To the church originally belonged to a pen.
The Romanesque- Early Gothic building is a three-aisled basilica with a not about the escape of the aisles projecting transept and a choir dealing with three chapels added later. The exterior appearance is determined by a powerful lobby in the west tower and an equally massive crossing tower.
The interior of the church was changed dramatically in the 19th century. The crypt with its famous murals was fortunately spared.
Apse of the collegiate church
Nave
Fresco in the crypt
The castle of Saint- Aignan
The other historical monument of the city is the castle of Saint -Aignan, which can be reached from the vestibule of the church tower of a long, curving staircase. The castle from the 16th century has two orthogonal mounted wing with a stylishly attached to the Renaissance wing in the 19th century stair tower.
View from the courtyard of the village of Saint- Aignan
Other
Other attractions include the birthplace of Joseph Paul- Boncour and ZooParc de Beauval, the 4,000 animals housed on 22 acres, including January 15, 2012, two giant pandas.
Personalities
- Joseph Paul- Boncour (1873-1972), politician, was born here
- Armand Beauvais (1840-1911), painter, died here
- Alice Pruvot -Fol (1873-1972), zoologist, was born here