Vue aérienne cité médiévale de Saint-Yrieix The renovated and embellished medieval town opens onto the Place Attane, dominated by the magnificent collegiate church (12th-13th c.) and the keep of the Viscounts of Limoges: the Tour du Plô (13th c.).
These buildings mark the start of the descent into picturesque lanes lined with beautiful white stone and half-timbered townhouses.
Portail Sud Collegiale Saint YrieixThe Tour du Plô is emblematic of the historical and architectural landscape of Saint-Yrieix. Built in the early 13th century by the Viscount of Limoges, it is the city’s oldest civil monument, rising to a height of almost 30 meters.
The tower can now be visited on 3 different levels, each presenting its own history and that of the town. A panoramic terrace, accessible by a hundred or so steps, offers a panoramic view of the Arédian city and the surrounding area.
The monastery founded around 560 at Attanum, by the holy abbot Arédius or Yrieix, was the starting point for the town’s development.
The main relic of the saint is a part of his skull, preserved in a goldsmith’s reliquary bust. Its origins date back to the 13th century. Replaced by a remarkable copy by an English silversmith, this masterpiece was sold in 1907 to an American banker for 30,000 gold francs, and is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
To be seen during the Ostensions Limousines every 7 years.
Remarkable events are organized throughout the year. Whether it’s arts and crafts (rue des arts), live entertainment, art (salon international de l’aquarelle), music (festival musical de Saint-Yrieix), gastronomy (marchés festifs), motor sports, etc., there’s something for everyone.
