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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame-au-Cierge of Épinal, located in the Vosges department, replaces a first building destroyed in 1944 by the bombing. Built between 1956 and 1958 under the direction of architect Jean Crouzillard, it symbolizes the religious architectural renewal of the 20th century, mixing concrete, sobriety and light. The church has been listed as a historical monument since 2011 and labeled "Twentieth Century Heritage" by the Ministry of Culture.

The first Notre Dame church, inaugurated in 1908, was built to respond to the population growth of Epinal. His name comes from a statuette of the Virgin, saved during a flood in 1778 and offered to the parish. Embellished between 1920 and 1939 by the parish priest Pierre-Fourrier Evrard, it was equipped with a rose, organ and choir completed in 1936, before being shaved in 1944.

The reconstruction of the church is part of the post-war urban planning plan of the district of the railway station of Epinal, with a central axis linking the station to the city centre. Jean Crouzillard, inspired by Auguste Perret, opts for concrete and a rectangular structure with clean lines. The initial project, which was ambitious (panel facade, monumental tower), was simplified to meet the budgetary constraints of the Ministry of Reconstruction.

The interior is distinguished by a nave of 55 meters long, illuminated by abstract stained glass windows by Gabriel Loire, including a glass window of 180 m2 representing the life of the Virgin, the largest in France. Léon Leyritz signs the enamel portal, the lead cross path, and the decoration of the Baptistery, where a white stone basin is surmounted by a moving conical lid. The crypt beneath the choir houses a white marble altar dating back to 1958.

The church incorporates strong symbols: the portal evokes Christ radiating on the world, surrounded by evangelists and planets, while the stained glass windows, dominated by blue and red, guide towards contemplation. The facade, sober, contrasts with the colorful brilliance of the abside, revealing a luminous progression from the entrance to the choir. This place of worship remains a significant testimony of modern sacred art in Lorraine.

Classified for its innovative architecture and artistic furniture, Notre-Dame-au-Cierge illustrates the spiritual and urban resilience of Epinal after 1945. Its label "Twentieth Century Heritage" highlights its role in the history of French reconstruction, combining parish functionality and aesthetic audacity.

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