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Origin and history

The Church of Saint-Sauveur of Caen, originally named Notre-Dame-de-Froide-Rue until 1802, is a Catholic place of worship erected in three major phases. Its origins remain unclear: although popular tradition attributes its foundation to the 7th century by Saint Regnobert, bishop of Bayeux, this hypothesis is attested only from the 16th century. A papal bubble of 1152-1153 mentions for the first time the church as well from the cathedral of Bayeux, but no vestige of the primitive Romanesque building survived. The bell tower and the eastern nave (dedicated to Saint Eustache) date from the 14th century, while the transformation into a church hall, with the addition of a second nave and a three-sided apse, took place in the 15th century.

The partial reconstruction of the eastern abside in the 16th century (1546), in a Renaissance style, probably follows the damage caused by the construction of a large ogival arch separating the naves. This apse contrasts with the rest of the Gothic building, marked by bays in the middle of the hanger and statues of angels. The gate of Rue Froide and its wooden door chiseled, as well as the stained glass windows dedicated to the life of Christ and the Virgin, also date from this period. In 1775, an earthquake partially damaged the church, and in 1791 it was renamed Saint-Sauveur after the closure of the eponymous church of the market.

Ranked a historic monument in 1889, the church lost its original built environment during the 1944 bombings, revealing its nave Saint-Eustache. The Reconstruction of Caen then preserves an unobstructed view of the building by creating the Place Pierre-Bouchard. Inside, there are 16th century frescoes, a funerary monument, and three paintings (Pentecôte, Transfiguration, Leak in Egypt). Since April 2024, security work has resulted in its closure to the public due to the risks associated with the facades.

The history of the church is also marked by its parish and funeral role. In 1323, Philip VI authorized the development of a cemetery proper to the parish, replaced in 1785 by the cemetery of the Quatre Nations. Until the Revolution, the holy water was devoted to it annually during Epiphany, a rare practice in the West. The cult, interrupted during the revolutionary period, was restored in 1802. Today, the building retains unique architectural elements, such as an unsure exterior staircase, possibly linked to the exposure of relics on an unconfirmed assumption.

The contemporary stained glass windows are attributed to Max Ingrand, although this information is not sourcing. The church thus illustrates the stylistic and social evolutions of Caen, from medieval traditions to modern upheavals, while remaining a symbol of Norman religious heritage.

Historical sources, such as the bulletins of the Société des Antiquaires de Normandie (1874) or the works of Étienne Doant (2015), underline its importance in the city's urban and religious history, from its link with the cathedral of Bayeux to its ranking among protected monuments.

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