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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Basilica of St. John the Baptist of Chaumont, built in the early 13th century, met the needs of a growing population. It was soon enriched by donations, including baillis from Chaumont. In 1474 Pope Sixtus IV became a collegiate priest, and major works between 1517 and 1543 transformed his appearance. Its interior decor, embellished in the eighteenth century, reflects its religious and cultural importance. It became a minor basilica in 1948 under Pius XII.

The architecture combines elements from the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th centuries: the west facade and the nave date from the 13th century, while the south portal (Gothic style of the 14th) and the choir (XVth–XVIth) illustrate its evolution. The basilica is home to treasures such as a limestone tree of Jesse (early XVI), a 15th-century burial by the Amboise family, and modern stained glass windows by Calixte Poupart.

The basilica has been listed as a historic monument since 1862 and has been the subject of an extensive restoration programme since 2021 (12 million euros over 10 years), covering both the building and its exceptional furnishings. Among its jewels, the Cavaillé-Coll organ of 1872, inaugurated by Charles-Marie Widor, and a neo-Gothic choir organ (1891) bear witness to its musical heritage.

The furniture includes works by Jean-Baptiste Bouchardon, such as the high altar (now in the Chapel of the Rosary), a pulpit and a work bench. The painted ceiling of the tomb would represent John IV of Amboise and his wife, highlighting the links between the building and the local elites. These elements, combined with paintings dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, reinforce his spiritual and artistic role.

The basilica remains an active place of worship, marked by traditions such as the Grand Pardon of Chaumont. Its history also reflects medieval urban dynamics, where religious buildings served as social and political hubs, as evidenced by the donations of baililis and papal interventions.

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