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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Charles-Borromée in Sedan was built between 1593 and 1601 as a great Protestant temple under the impulse of Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne and his wife Charlotte de La Marck, heiress of the principality of Sedan. Although the architect remains unknown, plans could be attributed to Salomon de Brosse, already involved in other Prince's projects. The temple, opened to Calvinist worship in 1601, had a cradle panel and stands reserved for the nobility and the princely family. It was enlarged in 1608 to host a second forum dedicated to the local elite.

In 1642, the principality of Sedan was transferred to the king of France after the arrest of Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, involved in a plot against Richelieu. The revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685 marked a turning point: in 1688 the archbishop of Reims, Charles-Maurice Le Tellier, entrusted Robert de Cotte with the transformation of the temple into a Catholic church. The latter designs a Latin cross, adding a transept, a choir and a massif of two towers, while removing Protestant stands. The church was solemnly blessed in 1692 under the name of Saint Charles Borromee.

In the 18th century, major improvements were made: the south tower was added in 1726, followed by the installation of an organ in 1768. The north tower was built between 1822 and 1823, and a clock turret was added in 1837. During the Revolution, the church briefly became cathedral of a constitutional bishopric (1791), and was converted into a temple of Reason in 1793 before being restored to worship in 1795. The Concordat of 1802 ended the bishopric of the Ardennes.

Saint-Charles-Borromée Church has been listed as a historic monument since March 25, 1980. His furniture, including the organ, the high altar, the baptismal fonts and confessionals, bears witness to his rich religious and architectural past. The building embodies the denominational upheavals of France, moving from Protestantism to Catholicism, while preserving original structural elements such as its nave and its side.

The initial construction of the temple reflects the influence of the Protestant princes of Sedan, while its transformation into a Catholic church illustrates the policy of counter-reform carried out after 1685. The additions of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, like the towers and the clock, mark its adaptation to the liturgical and aesthetic needs of successive epochs. Today, it remains a symbol of the Ardennes' religious and historical heritage.

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