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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Gilles des Forges, located in Fresselines, is a 17th-century building, characterized by simple architecture: a rectangular building with a bell tower and foothills in micaschiste. Its interior houses a covering panel painted in 1631, representing a rare symbolic decoration dedicated to the Rosary. This monument, though modest, bears witness to a local artistic and religious tradition marked by monastic influences.

The history of the chapel dates back to at least the twelfth century, when it belonged to the regular canons of Aureil. In 1210, the Cistercian monks of Aubepierre took control in exchange for an annual cens. The archives suggest that at the hinge of the 16th and 17th centuries, the place of worship could have benefited from a seigneurial patronage, although its exact status before the Revolution remains unclear. These transfers of property illustrate the religious and feudal dynamics of the region.

The chapel, classified as Historic Monument in 2004, preserves traces of its medieval past while reflecting the architectural and artistic transformations of the first half of the seventeenth century. Its painted decoration, dated precisely from 1631, makes it a notable example of the religious art of the time, mixing Marian symbolism and local craftsmanship. Today it is a communal property and remains a tangible witness to the spiritual and historical heritage of Fresselines.

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