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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul de Villeneuve-le-Roi is a Catholic building whose origins date back to a sanctuary of the Ve-VIth centuries, as evidenced by the remains of the first church built between the 10th and 11th centuries, including an apsidiole decorated with modillons. The present building, mainly built in the 13th and 17th centuries, preserves a three-vessel nave from the 12th century, heavily redesigned, as well as a 13th century bell tower whose upper part dates back to the 17th century. Two engraved dates, 1543 and 1585, indicate old works, although their exact location remains uncertain.

In the 17th century, the church underwent a major restoration: in 1683, Claude Le Peletier, seigneur of Villeneuve-le-Roi, rebuilt the choir in a Gothic style. The latter will be modified again in the 18th century, while a porch body and sacristy are added. The church, damaged during the Revolution, saw its choir and bell tower classified as historical monuments in 1947. The high altar, from the chilly-mazarin castle, and the dogive vaults of the choir illustrate its composite architectural heritage.

The protected elements include the choir and bell tower, inscribed by decree of 28 January 1947. The nave, covered with a false vault, and the bell tower, surmounted by a roof in a building, reflect the stylistic evolutions of the building. The models of the absidiole, the drawing masked by formwork, and the woodwork hiding the ancient inscriptions testify to its turbulent history, between destruction, reconstruction and adaptations to liturgical and community needs.

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