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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Adrien de Mailly-le-Château, built in 1220 under the impulse of Countess Mahaut de Nevers (daughter of Pierre de Courtenay), embodies a harmonious mixture of primitive and lanceolate Gothic. Its three-nave structure, typical of the 13th century, is enriched by a remarkable facade: a gate framed by foothills supporting a triangular gable, surmounted by a gallery of ogival archatures from the early 14th century. The latter houses statues, including the one of Mahaut, celebrating his role in the freeing of the Mailly serfs by the 1223 charter. Inside, the ogival spans and lateral chapels (XIV and Renaissance) bear witness to architectural evolutions over two centuries.

The foundation of the church is inseparable from Mahaut, who died in 1257, whose work ended in the 14th century. Classified as a historic monument in 1862, it preserves precious furniture, such as 17th century stalls, and a four-centennial lime tree planted in the Sully era, a living symbol of its historic anchor. The Countess, by her act of post-clearance, made the local community lasting, making the church a place of memory as well as of worship.

The building also illustrates medieval social dynamics: the statutory gallery, representing both serfs and a noble, reflects tensions and alliances between classes. Lateral chapels, added later, highlight the evolution of religious practices and local patronage. Today, the church-relais of the Archdiocese of Sens-Auxerre remains a major witness of Burgundy heritage, combining sacred art, feudal history and innovative architecture for its time.

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