Brive-la-Gaillarde - Collégiale Saint-Martin

Brive´s parish church is a former collegiate church. The large church was erected in the 12th/13th century, where already Gregory of Tours mentions a church. This was built over the tomb of missionary "Saint Martin l'Espagnol" ("Saint Martin the Spaniard") at the end of the fifth century .

For the first two centries the collegiate, founded end of the 11th century, prospered, supported by the Bishops of Limoge, but entered financial difficulties later. The cloister of the collegiate was destroyed in 1764, after the Augustin canons living here, joined the Priory of Port-Dieu. After the Revolution the the conventual buildings were bought by City and demolished in 1835.

The church got altered, rebuilt and renovated many times over the time, but the corbels and capitals around the apse are Romanesque. Here is Samson tearing a lion apart with his bare hands.