COLLEGIALE SAINT-PIERRE-LA-COURTYARD

The Collégiale was originally a small chapel belonging to the counts of Maine, built in the ^10th century to house the relics of Saint Scholastique, patron saint of Le Mans and protector of crops and housing. During the ^11th century, Count Hélie de la Flèche (d. 1110) enlarged the church, but in 1134, a major fire destroyed the roof. It was not until 40 years later that Henry II Plantagenet enlarged the church and built a bell tower. Around the middle of the ^13th century, clerics obtained permission to enlarge the church and built a new choir. Charles II d'Anjou laid the foundation stone in 1267, but the slow pace of construction was further undermined by the Hundred Years' War, forcing the building to be fortified. In the shadow of St. Julien's Cathedral, the Collégiale became the scene of countless costly ceremonies organized by the Chanoines to rival the latter. In 1835, the Collégiale was converted into a school, after it had been closed during the Revolution due to considerable damage. From 1903 to 1939, the Collegiate Church became a museum of archaeology. During the ^19th century, it lost its bell tower and several of the nave's Romanesque bays. What remains today is the lower church of the former Collegiale Notre-Dame-sous-Terre. Accessible to the public, it provides an ideal setting for various events organized by the Cultural Development and Action department, including concerts and cultural events.