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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The basilica of Ars, also called basilica of the Curé d'Ars or basilica of Sainte-Philomene, is located in the commune of Ars-sur-Formans, in the department of Ain, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Built in 1862, it was built near an ancient Romanesque church dating back to the 12th century. Its financing was partly provided by a lottery, whose main lots were the prayer-God and the watch of the Curé d'Ars, earning 100,000 francs. The basilica is dedicated to Saint Philomena, with an iconographic program designed by architect Pierre Bossan, painter Paul Borel and sculptor Charles Dufraine.

The basilica houses the body of the Curé d'Ars, exposed in a hunt, while its heart is preserved in a reliquary of the chapel of the Heart, located nearby. In 1986, Pope John Paul II visited Ars-sur-Formans to pay tribute to this emblematic priest. In 2010, the basilica was the most visited tourist site in Ain, with more than 500,000 annual visitors.

The former Romanesque church and the basilica were classified as historical monuments on 2 February 1982. This ranking underscores their heritage and religious importance, strengthening their cultural and spiritual attractiveness.

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