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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs, located on Rue Saint-Martin in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, is a Catholic religious building built over two centuries, from 1420 to 1620. It is mainly covered by flamboyant Gothic architecture, although Renaissance and classical elements were incorporated in successive enlargements. Ranked a historic monument since February 10, 1887, it is one of the largest churches in Paris, with a length of 90 metres and a width of 36 metres, and is distinguished by its 99 columns, the nickname "church with a hundred columns".

The origin of the church dates back to the 11th century, when the monastery of Saint Martin-des-Champs, which had become Priory of Cluny, erected an oratory dedicated to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of travelers and children. This oratory, mentioned in a papal bubble of 1119, served a growing local population, attracted by the Lendit fair and the growing economic activity of the neighborhood. Over the centuries, the building was enlarged to meet the needs of an increasingly populated parish, from 1,000 inhabitants in the 12th century to more than 50,000 in the 17th century.

The construction of the present church began in 1421, under English occupation during the Hundred Years War, with the construction of a nave of seven spans and a low side. The work continued in stages, marked by major enlargements in 1490, 1541, 1576, and finally 1613-1615, the date when the choir, the walk-through and the radiant chapels were completed. Each phase reflects the architectural evolutions of its era, combining Gothic, Renaissance and classical styles. The church was also the scene of historical events, as the foundation of the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity by Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul in 1633, after a mystical vision lived in the building in 1623.

The interior of Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs is richly decorated, with more than seventy objects classified as historical monuments, including murals, sculptures and stained glass windows. Among the notable works are paintings by Simon Vouet, Georges Lallemant and Quentin Varin, as well as baroque altarpieces and 18th-century stalls. The thirty-three side chapels were granted to wealthy parishioners or brotherhoods, who decorated them with frescoes, statues and liturgical furniture. Some, such as the axial chapel dedicated to the Virgin, house major works of 17th century religious painting.

The church experienced troubled periods, especially during the French Revolution, when it was closed in 1793 and transformed into a theophilanthropic temple before being returned to Catholic worship in 1802. In the 19th century, major restorations were undertaken, notably under the pastoral care of the parish priest Frasey (1823-1829), which dealt with the western facade and chapels. The drilling of Turbigo Street in 1858 also altered the immediate environment of the building, resulting in the partial demolition of the mass grave and the presbytery.

Today, Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs remains an active place of worship, animated by the Emmanuel community since 1992. It also houses a historic organ, built in the seventeenth century by Crépin Carlier and restored several times, the last of which dates back to the years 1927-1930 by Victor Gonzalez. The church continues to be the object of restoration campaigns, such as the one carried out in 2020-2021 on the southern flank, murals and stained glass windows, thus perpetuating its role as a witness to the Parisian religious and artistic heritage.

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