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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire de Potigny, located in Calvados in Normandy, is a Catholic religious building dating from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It is distinguished by its choir, considered a remarkable example of the first ogival style, with a sculpted triumphal arch and similar nave windows. The portal, decorated with foliage and zigzags, illustrates a transition between the Romanesque and ogival styles, typical of the thirteenth century. Arcisse de Caumont highlights the quality of plaster vaults added in the 19th century, replacing a wooden frame.

The church suffered damage during the Battle of Normandy, losing in particular stained glass windows, including those dedicated to the rosary installed in 1879. Ranked a historic monument in 1930, it has undergone major restorations between 2009 and 2012. His patronage belonged historically to the local lord. A window dedicated to the rosary (1879) and an altar (1924) mark its liturgical evolution. The side tower, covered by a building, and the exterior modillons complete its architecture.

Arcisse de Caumont, in his monumental Statistique du Calvados (1850), describes structural changes as models for other churches. The 19th century works, including the laying of false plaster vaults, were designed to modernize the building while preserving its medieval character. The fighting of 1944 left traces, but recent restorations allowed the church to restore its original brilliance, while preserving historical elements such as the modillons and the carved gate.

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