Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-André de Joigny, originally dedicated to Notre-Dame, came into being in the 11th century when Count Geoffroy de Joigny founded a priory entrusted to monks of La Charité-sur-Loire. This district, populated by artisans and winemakers, is gradually integrated into the second enclosure of the city. The church became parish at the beginning of the 13th century, before being renamed Saint Andrew in the 16th century, after its partial reconstruction following the fire of 1530.

The present nave retains elements of the original Romanesque building, while the western facade is redone around 1550. The collateral, composed of five ogival vaulted spans, illustrates the late Gothic style. The church houses remarkable works, such as a 15th century Pietà and a 13th century funeral slab representing Guillaume, Count of Joigny, both classified as historical monuments in 1992.

Ranked a historic monument in 1971, the church of Saint-André also serves as a burial place for the Counts of Joigny. Its flat bedside, rebuilt after the fire of 1530, and its interior decorations testify to the architectural transformations and funeral uses of the era. The building now depends on the Archdiocese of Sens-Auxerre and remains a symbol of the religious and Comtal heritage of Burgundy.

Located in the upper town of Joigny, the church is a typical example of medieval religious buildings adapted to the needs of an expanding urban community. Its history reflects the links between Comtal power, parish life and local crafts, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

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