Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Gilles d'Etampes church originated in 1123, when Louis VI the Gros founded a first church to connect the north and south parts of the city, in connection with the creation of a wheat market. This initial building, partially preserved, gives way to a major reconstruction in the 13th century: the ship, the entrance pillars and the batteries of the transept remain of this period, while a Roman bell tower is added. The building then evolved in the 15th century with the reconstruction of the choir in flamboyant Gothic style, marked by a flat bedside and arches with quadripartite cross-sections.

In the 16th century, the church was enriched with collaterals and side chapels (from 1547), as well as carved arch keys. In 1596, frescoes adorn the cradle of the nave, representing Louis IX (under the traits of Henry III), saints and a cross of Malta, on a background sown with lily flowers. These paintings, dated 1597, illustrate the royal and religious anchoring of the monument.

On June 10, 1944, an allied bombardment seriously damaged the church, requiring major reconstruction work. Despite these hazards, it was listed as a historic monument on May 21, 1970, recognizing its heritage value. Its architecture today combines sandstone and limestone, with an un arched nave, a Romanesque bell tower, and flamboyant Gothic elements, bearing witness to its many transformations.

The building houses remarkable furniture, including a bronze bell founded in 1850 (Marie-Flore) and golden cast iron baptismal fonts. Its plan in Latin cross, oriented north-east/south-west, and its roofs in buildings underline its central role in the urban and religious landscape of Etampes.

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