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Origin and history

The church of the Cordeliers, or church of Saint-François-des-Cordeliers, was built under René II of Lorraine after the Battle of Nancy (1477) and consecrated in 1487. It became the necropolis of the Dukes of Lorraine, replacing the collegiate Saint-Georges. Its sober architecture, with a unique nave of 73 meters, reflects Franciscan austerity, while integrating elements such as the polychrome fire of Duke René II.

The funeral chapel of the Dukes, built between 1609 and 1612 under Charles III, adopts an Italian Baroque style with a trompe-l'oeil dome. It houses the remains of the dynasty, with the exception of François-Étienne, buried in Vienna. Ranked in 1840, the church was restored after the revolutionary desecrations, with a solemn reinhumation of the ducal remains in 1826 under Louis XVIII.

The building preserves 16th century frescoes, including one attributed to Hugues de la Faye, and fragmentary stained glass windows exposed to the Lorrain Museum. The chapel Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, decorated with 17th-century stalls, illustrates the link between the Habsburg-Lorraine and the monument. Today dedicated to parish worship, the church depends on the parish of Saint-Epvre and hosts annual commemorative ceremonies.

Among the major works, the gissant of Philippe de Gueldre by Ligier Richier and the tomb of René II by Jacques Vauthier (1511) testify to the funeral art of Lorraine. The classic rosette with arms of Lorraine and the polychrome altarpiece of 1522 complete this heritage. The cloister houses the graves of engraver Jacques Callot and painter Jean Le Clerc.

The recent history of the church is marked by imperial visits, such as that of François-Joseph I in 1867, and family events of the Habsburg-Lorraine, including the wedding of Otto in 1951. An annual Mass, established in 1934, perpetuates the memory of the Dukes. The Austrian foundation of 1826 established a daily cult until 1914, followed by local initiatives.

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