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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of St.Christophus of Tourcoing, originally dedicated to St. Vaast d'Arras, finds its origins in the 11th century, with major transformations as early as the 12th (enlargement) and 13th (addition of a transept). In the 15th century, its bell tower was moved from the transept to the porch, while enrichment continued in the 16th and 18th centuries, notably with the intervention of architect Thomas-Joseph Gombert on the choir in 1722. The industrial boom of the 19th century made the church too small: an expansion site was launched in 1856 under the direction of Charles Leroy (on the nave), followed by the works of Charles Maillard and Louis Croin, who raised the bell tower (1895–98) while maintaining its 18th century structure. The original building remains the 13th century porch, the brick walls of the lower side and the columns of the 16th century.

The facade, inspired by the radiant and flamboyant gothic, is distinguished by its symmetry in three spans, a arched gate in a braid, and an 80-metre bell tower adorned with fillings and a carillon of 62 bells (including a 6-ton bell). The interior, bright, features 19th century polychrome vault keys and remarkable furniture: carved confessionals (1730), a large organ of Fremat and Carlier factors (1751), and neo-Gothic altarpieces by Charles Maillard, partially walled in the 20th century. The stained glass windows, made between 1878 and 1898, complement this artistic ensemble.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1981, the church underwent a long restoration (closure to worship until 2001, works completed in 2011). Its carillon, present since the 17th century, and its museum dedicated to campanary art (accessible by a helical staircase of 255 steps) testify to its cultural and religious role. The reopening in 2001 was marked by a Crick-Sicks concert. Today, it remains a symbol of the heritage of Tourquenno, mixing medieval heritage and industrial transformations.

The building, from plan to Latin cross to three vessels, combines brick and cut stone (Western tower, bay frames). Its history reflects the urban evolution of Tourcoing: from a modest parish church to a monument adapted to the demographic expansion of the 19th century. The secondary altars, redone in neo-Gothic style by Maillard (1860s), illustrate this desire for modernization, with retables painted by Bruno Chérier, now partially hidden.

Located rue de Tournai, near the town hall, the church depends on the diocese of Lille. Its location on the Grand Place makes it a major visual and historical landmark, linked to the identity of the city. The materials (stones in the base, slates of the arrow) and the techniques (polychrome vaults, 16th century staircase) highlight the diversity of the architectural periods represented, from the Middle Ages to the industrial era.

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