Eglise romane Saint-Jacques

For almost 900 years, Issy was a seigneury of the Bishop of Autun. It is on the route to Santiago de Compostela.

The current parish church dates back to the 12th century and is dedicated to Saint James the Greater, Christ's apostle, who was greatly venerated in the Middle Ages. It comprises a nave with 3 aisles, a transept, a choir bay and an apse.

There has been an evolution in the architecture: the chancel and the eastern bays of the nave are typically Romanesque, with a barrel vault, arcatures and large semicircular arches. The 3 western bays of the nave, on the other hand, are built with pointed arches and simplified, stylised capitals, closer to Gothic art. The cul-de-four vault of the choir has a superb 15th-century painted decoration. It shows Christ framed by the symbols of the evangelists (Luke's ox, Jan's eagle, Matthew's man and Mark's lion).