Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Blaise de Gâtelles, located in the commune of Thimert-Gâtelles (Eure-et-Loir, Centre-Val de Loire region), is a religious building dating back to the 12th and 17th centuries. Ranked a historic monument by decree of 7 April 1921, it is distinguished by its Renaissance portal of the 1st quarter of the 16th century, in the shape of a basket, and its vantals made of wood, also classified. The church, surrounded by its parish enclosure housing the cemetery, consists of a main nave and a collateral, with a five-paned apse covered with a wooden vault with appearances and punches.

The church furniture is particularly rich, including its seven classified windows, restored in 1971 by the Lorin de Chartres workshops. These stained glass windows illustrate the attention paid by the dignitaries of the Cathedral Chapter of Chartres to the churches under their jurisdiction. The girders of the choir, dating back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries, as well as those of the right part of the 18th century, bear the arms of the Illiers family. Other remarkable elements include a 16th century Virgin of Mercy in stone and the remains of a missing stone altarpiece depicting biblical scenes such as the Nativity and Adoration of the Magi.

The architecture of the building combines elements from the twelfth and seventeenth centuries, with a bell tower to the left of the main entrance, topped by a square staircase and a pyramid arrow. The roof, square at its base, passes to an octagonal shape by penetration before ending in arrow. The coronation of the staircase has a particular architectural layout, while the abside, pierced by geminated bays to the south and arcades to the north, rests on pillars. The church, owned by the commune, bears witness to the influence of the cathedral chapters on the rural religious buildings of the region.

Available sources, including Wikipedia and Monumentum, highlight the church's heritage importance, both for its architecture and furniture. Data from the Merimée database confirm its ranking in 1921 and its precise location at Thimert-Gâtelles (code Insee 28386) in the diocese of Chartres. The building, open to the visit, remains a significant example of the Eure-et-Loir religious heritage, marked by restorations and active conservation of its historical elements.

External links