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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Étienne church of Beaugency, founded in the 11th century between 1030 and 1050, was originally dedicated to the Holy Sepulcher before adopting its current term in the 16th century. It was erected as a priory by Lancelin II, the local lord, who contributed to it by donations (toll fees, serfs) and placed it under the care of the abbey of the Trinity of Vendôme in 1080. The building, completed around 1079, was also used to spiritually defend the Beaugency compound, according to a Merovingian tradition. Its Romanesque architecture (cradle vaults, circular apse) and its 12th century bell tower make it a rare testimony of this time.

Ranked a historical monument in 1840, the church escaped destruction in 1847 thanks to the intervention of Prosper Mérimée, who had it bought by the state. Disused in 1914 after serving as an attic, wood store, or depot, it was restored in 1999 to become a cultural centre welcoming exhibitions and conferences. Its contemporary stained glass windows, created by Jean-Dominique Fleury, and its location on the Martroi square — in the UNESCO area of the Loire Valley — make it a major heritage site.

The history of the church reflects the religious and political upheavals of France: sold as a national good in 1791 during the Revolution, it was also a symbol of cultural resistance. His rescue in the 19th century, despite municipal demolition projects, illustrates the evolution of the perception of heritage. Today owned by the commune, it embodies both a medieval heritage and a modern vocation, mixing memory and artistic creation.

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