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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Genest church of Manduel, located in the Gard department in the Occitanie region, was built in 1859 on the foundations of an earlier building, demolished due to its delapidated state and population growth. Directed by architect Henri Révoil, its construction is part of a municipal project aimed at modernizing the place of worship, with a northward shift to integrate into the new urban development, notably the Jean-Jaurès course. The first stone was laid on 3 November 1859, and the church was consecrated in 1862, after financial tensions between the entrepreneurs and the architect.

The interior decorations, made in 1862 by the painter Bernard Gentilini, are inspired by Roman motifs, such as those of the church of Saint-Andrea-della-Valle. The stained glass windows, created by Frédéric Martin of Avignon, were partially destroyed during the Second World War and restored in 1950 and again in 1998 by Frédéric Fayard. The neo-roman-style building is distinguished by its arched nave, its three semi-circular apses, and a square bell tower surmounted by an openworked hexagonal arrow.

Ranked a historic monument in 2016, the church was the subject of a major restoration campaign from 2022, financed by the municipality and private donations. The work, divided into three phases, covered the frame, roof, stained glass, and wall paintings, some of which represented the four evangelists. The original materials, such as Beaucaire stone or hooked bricks, have been preserved as far as possible. The inauguration after restoration took place on October 1, 2023, in the presence of Bishop Nicolas Brouwet, bishop of Nîmes.

The external sculptures, attributed to local artists such as Paul Hubert Colin or Pierre Michel, include statues of the Virgin and Saint Geniès, added in 1856 and 1891. The tympanum of the central portal bears a pattée cross and the inscription "In hoc signo vinces", recalling medieval symbolic influences. The interior capitals reproduce patterns related to the litany of the Virgin, such as the " Tower of David" or the "City of God", similar to those of the church of Milhaud, also designed by Révoil.

The initial financing, estimated at 76,190 francs in 1857, was adjusted to 95,644 francs, causing disputes between the entrepreneurs Guérin and Fabre and the commune. An imperial decree authorized a loan to cover costs, and the works were received in 1861. One-off restorations took place in the 19th and 20th centuries, notably for roofing (1920) or stained glass (1950, 1998). The last campaign, supported by the Heritage Foundation, gave the building its original brilliance, while modernizing its facilities (electricity, accessibility).

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