Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame de Villecresnes, dedicated to the Assumption, is mentioned as early as 1097 in a donation to the Abbey of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. From this period remain the base of the bell tower and a section of wall in opus spicatum, characteristic of Romanesque architecture. The village, ravaged during the Hundred Years' War and later by Protestants in 1562 and Lorrains in the 17th century, saw its church partially rebuilt or modified several times.

In the 13th century, a southern collateral was added, whose capitals, rediscovered around 1980, testify to medieval transformations. The roman bedside is then replaced by a flat bedside. The successive destructions imposed major repairs: in 1845, the southern and western collaterals were rebuilt, while between 1859 and 1863, the bell tower's foothills and its arrow were rebuilt, replacing a boiler roof. The interior is also rearranged (caissons on the ceiling, glass windows of Lusson), but the retable of Jacques Richard (1612) is removed.

The church houses remarkable elements such as a 1723 painting by Ludovic Weijandt, a copy of the Adoration of the Shepherds of Guido Reni, and a statue listed as a historical monument, The Virgin with the Child. The west facade and the base of the bell tower were restored in 1981 to regain their 11th century appearance. The assigned cemetery was transferred in 1821, marking an evolution of the parish space.

Classified as a historical monument by decree of 21 January 1987, the church now belongs to the municipality of Villecresnes. Its architecture reflects nearly nine centuries of history, between destruction, reconstruction and adaptations to cultural and community needs.

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