La Chaire à Calvin
France · Europe
A monumental sculpted frieze on an open rock face in a Charente village
Age
~14,000 yrs
Period
Magdalenian
Setting
Rock shelter
Art form
Rock reliefs
Discovered
1926
Status
Open (Limited Access)
An open rock shelter in the village of Mouthiers-sur-Boëme, named after a legend that the reformer Calvin once preached from it. Its rear wall carries a Magdalenian sculpted frieze of horses and bovids in relief — monumental open-air sculpture surviving in the middle of a living village.
Gallery
Notable Features
- ◦ Open-air sculpted frieze
- ◦ Horses and bovids in relief
- ◦ Village setting
Depicted Subjects
HorsesAurochs
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.