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  2. Patrimoine
  3. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
  4. Loire
  5. 42700 Firminy

  6. Church of Saint Peter of Firminy

 Church of Saint Peter of Firminy dans la Loire

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Eglise moderne
Loire

Church of Saint Peter of Firminy

    Les Carrières, Chemin de Sous-Marquant
    42700 Firminy
Église Saint-Pierre de Firminy
Église Saint-Pierre de Firminy
Église Saint-Pierre de Firminy
Église Saint-Pierre de Firminy
Crédit photo : Choufi - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
2000
1953
Firminy-Vert project
1961
Order to Le Corbusier
28 mai 1970
Laying the first stone
1978
Stopping work
3 juin 1996
First historical classification
29 novembre 2006
Inauguration
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The church, its plate ground and the parcels supporting its landscaping, in full (Box AO 86, 299): classification by decree of 30 May 2012

Key figures

Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret) - Architect Designer of the church, died before its completion.
Eugène Claudius-Petit - Mayor of Firminy and sponsor Initiator of the Firminy-Vert project.
José Oubrerie - Collaborating architect Supervises initial and final work.
Dino Cinieri - Mayor of Firminy (2000s) Relaunched construction in 2004.

Origin and history

The Church of St. Peter of Firminy, often called "the Corbusier Church", is a major architectural project of the 20th century. Commissioned in 1961 by Eugène Claudius-Petit, Mayor of Firminy and former Minister of Reconstruction, she was to integrate into the model city of Firminy-Vert. Le Corbusier, assisted by Louis Miquel and José Oubrerie, designs a bold concrete building, mixing nave and parish halls. However, tensions with the bishopric, who considered the project too expensive, forced the architect to simplify the plans by merging the two buildings into one.

Construction, begun in 1970 after Le Corbusier's death, is marked by repeated interruptions. In 1972, the bishopric withdrew from the project for financial reasons, leaving the commune and a local association to finance the works. The site stopped permanently in 1978, leaving the church unfinished for 30 years, nicknamed the blockhouse by the inhabitants. Despite a ranking in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments in 1983, the building remained abandoned until the 2000s, threatened by demolition projects.

In 2004, under the leadership of Mayor Dino Cinieri, work resumed under the direction of José Oubrerie, former collaborator of Le Corbusier. Financed by public funds, despite legal controversies, work was completed in 2006. The church was inaugurated on 29 November 2006, becoming a mixed place: the lower part houses an interpretation centre dedicated to Le Corbusier, while the upper nave retains a religious vocation. Its architecture, a truncated pyramid of 33 meters high, is marked by a light game evoking the constellation of Orion.

The Saint Peter church is part of a larger architectural complex in Firminy-Vert, including a culture house, a stadium and a housing unit, all designed by Le Corbusier. Classified as a historic monument in 2012, it is also proposed for UNESCO World Heritage. Its history reflects the challenges of modern urban planning, between cultural ambitions, budgetary constraints and local political challenges.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum