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Origin and history

The Protestant temple of Saintes, located in the department of Charente-Maritime, is the main place of worship of the united Protestant Church of this city since the beginning of the twentieth century. Its history dates back to the 16th century, when the Reformation spread to Saintes: a first temple was erected there around 1603-1605 in the Saint-Vivian district, outside the walls of the episcopal city, in accordance with the restrictions imposed by the edict of Nantes. This sanctuary, dedicated in 1602, was destroyed in 1685 after the revocation of the edict by the edict of Fontainebleau, marking a period of hiding for the local Protestant cult.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a small hall near the chapel of the college allowed the reformed community to resume its cultural activities. The existence of a third temple, used until the beginning of the twentieth century, is attested from 1802. The vitality of this community led, at the initiative of Louis Jaud and Marie Daniaud, to the creation in 1899 of civil society La Solidarité. The latter acquired land on the Cours Reverseaux to build a new place of worship, entrusted to the Parisian architect Augustin Rey.

Inaugurated in 1906, the present temple is distinguished by its eclectic architecture, mixing reinforced concrete, stone, and neo-Roman influences, neo-Byzantines and art nouveau. Augustin Rey designs a rectangular vaulted nave building, flanked by side-tops surmounted by stands to increase its capacity. The facade, decorated with vegetal and geometric motifs, and the stained glass windows signed by Felix Gaudin – including the zenithal bay of 15 meters – illustrate this stylistic fusion. Ranked a historical monument in 1998 for its originality, the temple remains a symbol of Protestant perseverance in Saintonge.

The interior, where the concrete structure is covered with a pink plaster coated engraved with false appliances, reflects a desire to reconcile technical modernity with historical references. The zenithal stained glass window, a masterpiece by Felix Gaudin, a renowned late 19th century glass master, reinforces the artistic dimension of the place. Owned by a cult association, the temple today perpetuates the memory of the Protestant places of worship destroyed in Saintes, while embodying the architectural adaptation of the reformed communities in the 20th century.

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