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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sainte-Bénédicte de Domange chapel, located in the hamlet of Igé (Saône-et-Loire), is a Romanesque building whose first records date back to a charter of Cluny in 953. Its nave, forechoir and span under bell tower date from the 10th century, while it was rebuilt in the 11th century. This monument illustrates the influence of the Clunisian order in the region, with architectural elements typical of the first Romanesque art, such as the Lombard archatures of the bell tower.

In the 15th century, the chapel was enriched by a lateral chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Pitié, founded by Antoine de Villecourt, seigneur of Chabotte, and his wife. The grey stained glass windows, installed in 1866 with the exception of those of the abside, replaced the original openings. The bronze bell, named Benedict, was recast in 1897. The site, desecrated in 1971, underwent a conversion into wine cellar and museum from 1990, before being restored between 2006 and 2008 under the direction of Frédéric Didier, chief architect of historical monuments.

Ranked a historic monument in 1938, the chapel was the scene of revolutionary upheavals: the monks of Cluny were expelled from it, and worship was forbidden in 1795. In the 21st century, it attracts the attention of researchers, as evidenced by the architectural survey conducted in 2017 by Hungarian students from the International Centre for Heritage Studies. This work, coupled with the award-winning restorations (2008 Departmental Heritage Award, Special Mention of Heritage Rubans), underscores its heritage importance.

The building thus blends medieval heritage and modern adaptations, reflecting almost a millennium of religious, seigneurial and winemaking history. Its square bell tower, adorned with grimaçant masks, and its geminied berries make it a remarkable example of Romanesque art in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

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