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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Graçay, built from 1866 in a Gothic Revival style inspired by the 13th century, is the work of architect Marganne, then enlarged by Albert Pascault. This monument illustrates the pastiche architectural movement of the 19th century, marked by a return to medieval forms, while integrating contemporary techniques and decor. Its 122 stained glass windows, 86 of which were offered by the French dioceses representing their patron saints, were made by the master glassmaker Lucien-Leopold Lobin (1837–92), a major figure in the religious glass art of the time.

The construction of the church takes place in the context of the revival of Marian devotion in Berry in the 19th century, when religious buildings become symbols of spiritual and community renewal. The building houses a statue of the Virgin of Avexy, survived by vandalism in 1793 and 1905, as well as three bells dating from 1872. In 1992, the church also witnessed the influence of regional artistic movements, such as the School of Towers for stained glass, and the involvement of local parishes in its decoration.

Graçay, a rural commune of the Cher on the limit of Indre, has a history marked by medieval conflicts, including the meeting of the Three Kings (Louis VII, Henry II of England and Philip Auguste) between 1176 and 1179, who tried unsuccessfully to settle their territorial disputes. The village, once the seat of a powerful seigneury of the Lower Berry, also preserves traces of its medieval past, such as the ramparts and abside Saint-Martin (XI century), as well as a classified Neolithic dolmen. The Notre-Dame church, by its style and iconography, is thus part of a historical and cultural continuity, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and 19th century renewal.

The territory of Graçay, crossed by Fouzon and Pozon, tributaries of the Cher, experienced a contrasting demographic evolution, with a peak of 3,315 inhabitants in 1872, year of foundry of church bells, before a gradual decline up to 1,234 inhabitants in 2023. The commune, classified as a low seismic zone, is exposed to natural risks such as the withdrawal and swelling of clays, having caused repeated damage to buildings, including the church. Its heritage, which also includes the Château de Coulon (XVIth-17th centuries) and the Pierre Levée (dolmen), reflects a historical richness from Prehistory to the contemporary era.

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