Saint-Michel de Libre church, former parish church

The church stands at the back of the rectangular hamlet’s square.


Typology Building

Period XX

Accessibility Yes

Visitable Yes

Until the beginning of the 20th century, Libre only had the small Saint-Jean Baptiste chapel for the worship celebration. It is located on the heights of the Church district. The Libre’s priest then convinced the inhabitants to provide land to build a church. It was dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel in 1905.

The elegant classical composition facade of Saint-Michel church presents a set of neo-baroque stucco typical Ligurian heads of angels, scrolls and foliage, medallions petals, friezes, composite capitals, shell…

The bell tower’s dome is covered with glazed tiles, also typical of the Ligurian churches of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Its single nave has a small platform and two chapels in niches at the front of the choir, forming transepts.

Libre’s Church, which was part Piène’s parish, became itself a parish in 1922. It was served by a resident priest until the late 1960s, and then lost its parish status.

Conditions of visit

Libre can be accessed by RD 90 road, starting from RD 6204 road, south of Breil and Piène-Basse hamlet. The church is located in church square district. Nearby parking possible.
Authorized and easy access, nearby parking.
Occasional public opening (events, parties)

Improve

Additional information

Bibliography

  • Botton Charles, Histoire de Breil et des Breillois, Les Editions du Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, 1996.
  • Iperti Luigi, Histoire de Piène-Haute et Libre, de Barba Gè, des Iperti et Ipert à Penna, Olivetta, Ravaï et Libre, Edizioni REI, 2014.

Useful links