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Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte Church of Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire en Indre-et-Loire

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Eglise gothique
Indre-et-Loire

Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte Church of Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire

    1-7 Rue de la Mairie
    37540 Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
Crédit photo : Guill37 - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1000
1100
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
Xe siècle
Initial Romanesque Church
Mars 1522
Construction of the choir vault
Fin XVIe siècle
Flamboyant Gothic reconstruction
1860
Acquisition of an organ by Louis Bonn
19 juillet 1926
Historical monument classification
22 août 1944
1860 organ destruction
2000
Inauguration of current organ
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Church: registration by decree of 19 July 1926

Key figures

Louis XI - King of France Sponsor of Gothic reconstruction.
Jean Ruzé - Lord of Charentais and alderman Family whose weapons adorn the gate.
Louis Bonn - Motor organ factor Creator of the 1860 organ.
Bernard Aubertin - Jurasian organ factor Author of the Baroque organ inaugurated in 2000.

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire has its origins in the early Middle Ages, with a first chapel followed by a Romanesque church in the tenth century. These early buildings, which have now disappeared, testify to the early religious anchoring of the site. Major reconstruction took place at the end of the 16th century, under the impetus of King Louis XI, who imposed a flamboyant Gothic style, characteristic of the period.

The church choir, marked by a six-pointed star arch, bears an inscription dated 1522, engraved in the 19th century: "IN MARS MIL CENTS VINGT AND DEULZ FUT FAICTE CESTE VOUTE". This architectural detail reflects the techniques of the time, while a side chapel is dedicated to St. Michael. The gate, adorned with an shield with the arms of the Ruze family — local lords in the 16th century — illustrates the links between nobility and religious edifice.

The church organ, the central element of its furniture, has a turbulent history. A first instrument, deemed insufficient in 1859, was replaced in 1860 by a Louis Bonn organ, destroyed in 1944 during the explosion of a neighbouring bridge. Reconstructed in 1947 by Robert Boisseau, it was finally replaced in 2000 by a baroque organ by Bernard Aubertin, with 776 pipes. These transformations reflect the evolution of musical and liturgical practices.

Ranked a historic monument in 1926, the church embodies both a medieval heritage and a continuous adaptation to cultural and artistic needs. Its architecture, furniture and inscriptions make it a privileged witness to the religious and social history of the Touraine, between the Middle Ages and the contemporary era.

The archives and archaeological studies, such as those of Jean-Jacques Bourassé or Léon Lhuillier, underline its heritage importance. The commune and local associations, such as Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire Men and Heritage, are now working to enhance its value, ensuring its transmission to future generations.

External links