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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame, also known as the Church of Saint-Genest, is an ancient Catholic church built in the 12th century in Nevers. It was originally the place of worship of the parish of the laymen, an artisanal district of the city. Its Romanesque architecture, including its southern portal, was praised by Viollet-le-Duc for its harmonious proportions and the quality of its sculptures. Originally, the nave had two elevation levels (large arcades and high windows), while the crossover of the transept was surmounted by a dome supported by consoles carved from human or monstrous heads, whose eyes were probably decorated with coloured mastic or enamel.

Disused during the French Revolution, the church experienced several secular uses in the 19th and 20th centuries: brewery, wine warehouse, and garage. In 1836, a large part of the choir was destroyed to expand Saint-Genest Street, thus altering its primitive plan. Despite these modifications, the building was classified as a historic monument by decree on August 23, 1923, recognizing its heritage value. The lintel of the porch, now very mutilated, once represented a procession of saints, as described by Prosper Mérimée from the drawings of Viollet-le-Duc.

Saint-Genest Church illustrates the urban transformations and reassignments of religious buildings after the Revolution. Its southern portal, considered a masterpiece of sobriety and balance, bears witness to the know-how of the Romanesque sculptors. The monstrous head consoles, typical of medieval art, suggest a symbolism both decorative and perhaps protective. Today, the building remains a remarkable example of the Romanesque heritage in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, despite the alterations suffered over the centuries.

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