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Origin and history

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption-de-la-Très-Sainte-Vierge is a Catholic parish church located in Saulx-les-Chartreux, Essonne department, Île-de-France. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and is located in the heart of the village, near the river Yvette and the municipal cemetery. Its architecture reflects a rich history, marked by successive extensions and embellishments.

The building was built in the 12th century, as evidenced by its round pillars and its vaulted nave. The stone baptismal fonts, added in the seventeenth century, as well as the stone porch and the 18th century stalls, illustrate the stylistic and liturgical evolutions of the period. The church was listed as historic monuments on 6 March 1926, recognizing its heritage value.

The interior of the church consists of a three-span nave flanked by two warhead vaulted collaterals, leading to a flat-side choir pierced with 15th and 12th century bays. Among the remarkable elements are an oil on canvas in Louis XV style representing the Adoration of the Magi, as well as two side chapels dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Vincent. The bell tower, with geminied berries, dominates the south side.

Located on a plot formerly dedicated to market gardening, the church is part of a landscape marked by the presence close to the lake of Saulx-les-Chartreux and the castle of Monthuchet. Its location on departmental road 118 makes it a central point of local life, both religious and community. The materials used, sandstone and bricks, as well as its simple plan, reflect medieval construction techniques adapted to local resources.

The changes made during the 17th and 18th centuries, such as the porch or interior decorations, reflect the evolution of religious and artistic practices. The inscription in the historic monuments in 1926 allowed to preserve this building, symbol of the religious and architectural heritage of the Essonne.

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