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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady of Heaven, located in the department of Saône-et-Loire, finds its origins in the 12th century with the construction of its choir, transept and last span of the nave, the only remains of the primitive Romanesque building. As early as the 13th century, it depended on Saint-Pierre Abbey in Chalon. The preserved Romanesque parts, such as sculpted capitals of plant motifs or arched apsidioles in cul-de-four, testify to this period. A drawing from 1856 by Rousselot, forest inspector, offers one of his most ancient representations.

The current nave and bell tower are the result of post-crash reconstructions, including that of 1719, which destroyed part of the building. The nave was rebuilt in 1734, and later rebuilt in 1770 by architect Grivaud and carpenter Desnouelles. The 49-metre-high bell tower, covered with red and black glazed bricks, was erected in the 18th century and restored in the same way after several collapses, the last of which was rebuilt in 2002. The brick vaults of the central ship, supported by cement pilasters, date back to the early twentieth century.

The church houses remarkable furniture, including the stalls of the choir with medieval mercies and the tomb of Isabel de Grancey (d. 1344), the wife of the last lord of Verdun of the lineage of the Vidonides. This lier, damaged during the collapse of 1719, illustrates the funeral importance of the place. The stained glass windows, signed by glass painter Joseph Besnard, and the dome on pendants of the transept complete this architectural heritage.

Classified as a historical monument since 1926, the church remains an active Catholic place of worship, attached to the diocese of Autun and the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste-des-Trois-Rivières. Its history reflects the architectural and religious evolutions of Burgundy, from Romanesque art to modern restorations, while preserving medieval elements such as cornice modillons or vegetable-decorated capitals.

Sources also mention traces of reuse of materials, such as bricks stamped "HEITCHLIN & BRILL CHALON S SAONE", probably from the old arrow. The 19th century works, led by architect Girard Jr. in 1859, revealed the remains of the old fir wood panelling, confirming the successive transformations of the building.

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