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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Chambéry, located in the city centre of Chambéry (Savoie, region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), was built by the Jesuits from 1598 on a marshy ground requiring extensive foundations. The first stone was laid on 25 November 1599 by Duke Charles-Emmanuel I of Savoie. The works, slowed down until 1618, resumed in 1625, allowing a partial inauguration on 31 July 1635, although the building was still unfinished. The façade, financed by the Regent Christine of France, was completed between 1644 and 1646, the year of her consecration to Mary and her Annunciation.

At the time of the Revolution, the church was transformed into a hospital before becoming, in 1803, the parish church Our Lady of the Nativity of the Virgin. The bell tower was renovated in 1822, and the building suffered minor damage during the American bombings of 1944. Ranked a historic monument in 1996, it preserves a remarkable architecture, including a dome decorated with the coat of arms of Savoy and portraits of the four doctors of the Church, as well as a 23.50 metre high facade, richly decorated.

The church, originally chapel of the Jesuit College, was isolated after the destruction of the surrounding buildings during the bombings of 1944. Its interior decoration, including the gypseries of the cross of the transept, and its organ installed in 1854, testify to its rich past. The successive restorations (paintings by Vicario in 1844, facade by Revel in 1864) and the electrical works of 1987 preserved its architectural heritage, mixing Baroque and classical influences.

The construction of the church is part of an urban context marked by the ramparts of Chambéry, also made of cooked bricks. Its classification in 1996 covers the entire building, now owned by the municipality. Historical sources, including the works of André Perret and Robert Soldo, highlight its heritage importance, linked to the Society of Jesus and Savoyard history.

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