Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Côme-Saint-Damien de Luzarches, located in Val-d Its origins date back at least to the eighth century, but its current construction began at the end of the eleventh century with a vaulted Romanesque choir in a cradle. Around 1140, the bell tower and a northern absidiole were added, marking a transition between primitive Romanesque and Gothic styles. The building preserves rare elements, such as a cul-de-four apse and a radiant 13th century Gothic chapel, contrasting with darker Romanesque parts.

In the 16th century, the nave was partially rebuilt in a Renaissance style by master mason Nicolas de Saint-Michel, who left a remarkable western facade inspired by ancient treatises. The present nave, rebuilt in the 17th century and remodeled in the 19th century, incorporates neo-Renaissance elements. The church, classified as a Historic Monument in 1912, houses rich furniture, including 17th and 18th century statues, paintings and chandeliers. It remains an active place of worship, in the heart of a parish of eleven villages.

Archaeological excavations revealed a Gallo-Roman primitive church, rebuilt in the Carolingian era. In the 12th century, relics of Saints Como and Damien, brought back from the Holy Land by John of Beaumont, reinforced its importance. The collegiate Saint-Côme, built between 1180 and 1220 near the castle of En-Haut, shared its name until the Revolution. The southern absidiole, transformed into a Gothic chapel around 1300, and the Renaissance façade of Nicolas de Saint-Michel (1548-1551) illustrate the architectural evolutions of the site.

Interior of the church juxtaposes contrasting spaces: the dark Romanesque choir, the base of the bell tower with primitive dogive vaults, and the chapel of the Virgin, luminous, decorated with 19th century stained glass windows. The 19th-century restorations, carried out by architect Franz Boulogne, harmonized the lower side with the Renaissance style, while preserving medieval elements. The classified furniture, including an 18th century pulpit and 17th and 19th century paintings, bears witness to its rich past.

Today, the church of Saint-Côme-Saint-Damien, located on the edge of Luzarches facing the fields, dominates a cemetery and a presbytery. Its bedside, visible from afar, reveals the various construction campaigns: Romanesque apse, Romanesque bell tower and Renaissance, Gothic chapel. It remains a symbolic pilgrimage place for the Order of Doctors of Paris, despite the flight of its reliquary shawl in the 1990s.

External links