Church of the Colimaçons

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of the Colimaçons, officially named Church of the Sacred Heart, was built in 1860 in Saint-Leu, on the island of La Réunion, at the initiative of Joseph-Antoine Sosthenes of Châteauvieux, an industrialist and sugar estate administrator. Built in volcanic stone on a promontory facing the Indian Ocean, it follows a Latin cross plan, mixing neo-Roman and neo-Renaissance styles. Consecrated in 1866, its construction was completed in 1875 with the addition of a dome on the bell tower. The Marquis de Châteauvieux, who sponsored the works, was later buried there.

In 1928, a cyclone seriously damaged the building, partially destroying its structure. The reconstruction begins in the same year, reusing the original stones but replacing the wooden frame with a metal frame. The church was again consecrated in 1930. Classified as a historical monument on July 5, 1996, it was refurbishing in 2010, during which sixty stained glass windows representing saints, created by Alban de Châteauvieux (descendant of the Marquis) and blessed in 2015, were installed there.

The church of the Colimaçons illustrates the influence of landowners in the religious planning of Reunion in the 19th century. Its eclectic architecture and spectacular location make it a symbol of the heritage of Réunion, linked to the history of colonial families and the evolution of construction techniques after the devastating cyclones of the early twentieth century.

External links