Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Symphorien du Vieil-Baugé, located in the village of Vieil-Baugé (comune of Baugé-en-Anjou, Maine-et-Loire), has been listed as a historical monument since 19 December 1973. It is distinguished by its bell tower, a rare architectural characteristic. Its construction spans between the 11th and 16th centuries, with significant additions and modifications over the centuries.

The nave, the oldest part, dates from the second half of the 11th century. The bell tower, arms and cross of the transept are erected at the end of the 11th century, while the northern chapel is added in the middle of the 12th century. The choir, at the edge of the 12th and 13th centuries, and the southern chapel, built in the 15th century, complete the building. In the 16th century, the south side was enlarged, and the south crusillon was bent with caissons bearing the arms of the Tillon de Coutrolles family.

The church suffered several damage and restorations: the south side collapsed in 1806, the nave panelling was laid in 1826, and the bell tower arrow, rebuilt in 1856, was damaged in 1859 and 1892 before being replaced by a structural structure. The bell tower, deliberately designed with a helical rotation of 1/8th turn, has an inclination probably due to a lack of drying.

The architecture of the church includes arches of curved warheads and a tower tors, an emblematic element. The 16th century works, notably those attributed to Jean de Lespine in 1532-1533, illustrate the stylistic evolutions and contributions of local families, such as the Tillon de Coutrolles, whose weapons adorn the southern crusillon.

External links