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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of the Assumption of Our Lady of Sezeria, located in Orgelet in the Jura, is a desacralized Romanesque building, today in ruins. Locally called La Chapelle, it is forbidden from access because of its state of advanced degradation, especially after the collapse of its vault in broken cradle around 1965. Its modest architecture, with a single vessel low and elongated, reflects the tradition of Jurassian churches of Romanesque persistence, covered with lava and often isolated.

The church, whose origins date back at least to the 15th century, underwent modifications in the 17th and 18th centuries, as evidenced by the portal dated 1662 and the adjacent presbytery-school, built at the end of the 18th century. It was once the centre of a parish of several hamlets (Chaveria, Chatagna, Moutonne), in an archaeologically rich site. Its closed cemetery, bell tower and flamboyant bay chapel illustrate its architectural evolution.

Ranked a historic monument in April 1998 thanks to the action of the Association for the Protection of Historical Heritage of Orgelet and its Region, the church is one of the 250 masterpieces at risk identified by Stéphane Bern's mission. Its isolation and its state of ruin make it a poignant testimony of the Jurasian rural religious heritage, now owned by the commune of Orgelet.

Protected elements include the entire church, the presbytery and the cemetery fence. Although closed to the visit, its heritage value lies in its hybrid architecture (Roman and classical) and its historical role as a parish centre. The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum, Mérimée base) underline its archaeological and architectural importance in the region.

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