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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Caradeuc de Donzy, located at the foot of the old walls of the missing castle, is part of a medieval urban fabric. Its 15th century choir, marked by slender bays and a sexpartite vault, bears witness to its Gothic origin. The deterioration of the nave in the 16th and 17th centuries led to its decommissioning in the early 19th century for security reasons, requiring major intervention.

The reconstruction, carried out between 1839 and 1842 by architect Paillard, extended the Gothic choir and reflected the 19th-century enthusiasm for the medieval style. The plans kept at the Départemental Archives de la Nièvre document this campaign, which added a central nave, two collaterals, and side chapels. The square bell tower, adorned with neo-raying bays, dominates the south-west facade, although the planned arrow was never built.

The building, built on a sloped land, features an irregular northwest facade, including a Directoire style house and a Gothic gate. Inside, the juxtaposition of the 15th and 19th century stones reveals the two phases of construction. The choir, illuminated by three lancettes, and the nave, vaulted by ridges, retain a visual homogeneity despite their distinct origins. The structure of the choir, probably of origin, and the carved cloves of the warheads (symbolizing the four evangelists) highlight the heritage richness of the place.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1998, the church illustrates the architectural evolution and conservation challenges of a religious building anchored in local history. Its irregular plan, its lateral chapels, and its bell tower-porch make it a remarkable example of adaptation between Gothic heritage and romantic restoration. The republican motto painted on a chapel also recalls its anchoring in the modern history of the municipality.

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