Church of Our Lady à Vouillé dans les Deux-Sèvres

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Vouillé came into being in the 12th century, when it depended on the monastery of Saint-Maixent. This first building, in Romanesque style, was limited to a narrow nave, whose only lateral walls remain today. The partial destruction of the church during the religious wars marked a turning point in its history, requiring major reconstruction at the end of the sixteenth century or at the beginning of the seventeenth.

The post-war restoration of Religion gave birth to a choir flanked by two collaterals, as well as to an axial bell tower overtaking the square of the transept. The base of the staircase leading to the bell tower, still visible, also dates from this period. The transformations continued much later, between 1861 and 1866, with an ambitious restoration campaign: the nave was vaulted with neo-gothic veins, divided into three dungive spans. These structural changes imposed the addition of foothills on the facades to support the new vault. Finally, in 1884, the choir was embellished with decorative paintings, completing the main architectural developments of the building.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 27 September 1963, the Church of Notre-Dame illustrates the superpositions of styles related to its turbulent history. Property of the municipality of Vouillé (Deux-Sèvres), it bears witness to the successive reconstructions, from its medieval origin to the restorations of the 19th century, mixing Romanesque, Renaissance and neo-Gothic heritage. Its current location, 9002 Rue de la Poste, makes it a heritage landmark of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

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