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Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Metz-le-Comte, located in the Nièvre, is a building built from the twelfth to the fourteenth century. Originally, it was the chapel of a castle today destroyed, built in the 12th century, then extended and rebuilt in the 13th century. Its architecture combines a three-vessel nave, a flat bedside choir and a square bell tower. The carved vaults, arches and capitals bear witness to its stylistic evolution, with traces of dogid veins and changes in the bell tower, such as broken arcades or bays.

Over the centuries, the church has undergone several major changes. In 1451, the parish priest Pierre Serrechat made two vaults (or spans) by Jean Le Borne, as evidenced by an engraved Latin inscription. The porch dates from the 16th century, while the belfry frame was dated 1770. In 1772 the sacristy was built and the ground was enhanced. The 19th century marked an intense period of restoration: in 1832, foothills were added and the door redone; In 1849, the stone roof was replaced by the limestone of Fontenay-sous-Vézelay; and in 1867 and 1898, work was carried out on rosace, vaults and roofs, using local stones.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 22 June 1911, the church now belongs to the commune. Its history reflects both its central religious role and the successive architectural adaptations, from its medieval origins to modern restorations. The materials used, such as the stones of Montfort or the tiles of Asnières, underline its anchoring in the local heritage of Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

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