Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Our Lady of Oloron-Sainte-Marie originated in a request of the inhabitants of the neighborhood in 1844, claiming a place of worship more worthy than the chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which became parish in 1826. The municipality offers the land, while parishioners finance the construction. In 1869, three houses were razed to free space, and the first stone was laid on August 15 of the same year. The architect Auguste Lafollye, specialist of the Imperial Palaces, designs a neo-Gothic building blending Romanesque elements, awarded at the Universal Exhibition of 1878. However, difficulties led to his resignation and a stoppage of work for a dozen years.

The work takes place under the direction of a Paloese architect and the supervision of the factory council. The church, built of Louvie's hard stone, was finally consecrated on September 10, 1893. His plan includes a central nave flanked by collaterals, a transept, and a choir decorated with frescoes, including that of the Coronation of the Virgin by Paul Delance. The tower tower tower, culminating at 52 meters, dominates the building. The church was listed for historical monuments in 2006, recognizing its heritage and architectural value.

The interior decoration, made between 1895 and 1899, is marked by frescoes and marouflé canvases by Paul-Louis Delance, pupil of Jean-Léon Gérôme, illustrating the life of the Virgin. Other artists, such as Callot and Marteus, contribute to the lateral chapels. The stained glass windows, mostly signed by Charles Champigneulle, except those of the chapels Saint-Pierre and the Sacred Heart (work by A. Strauss), complete this ensemble. The organ, built in 1851 by Vincent Cavaillé-Coll for the Capuchins, was transferred to the church at the end of the 19th century and ranked in 1985. Restored, it was re-inaugurated in 2012 by Pierre Pncemaille.

Several paintings, classified as historical monuments, adorn the church, including Saint Vincent de Paul collecting abandoned children (XIXth century) and the Assumption of the Virgin (2nd quarter of the 19th century). The furniture includes stalls of the choir from St. Mary's Cathedral and an 18th-century altarpiece from the old hospital. These elements reflect the historic and artistic richness of the site, rooted in local heritage.

External links