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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne de Beaulieu-sur-Loire finds its origins in a Romanesque foundation of the 4th quarter of the 11th century, probably linked to the influence of the canons of Saint-Étienne de Bourges. The latter acquired the seigneury of Beaulieu at the end of the 14th century, after the town had been fortified and dominated by a castle built at the end of the 12th century by Geoffroy de la Brière. The castle, restored and reinforced by the canons, was adjacent to the church in the east. The religious building, originally composed of three naves, was partially destroyed during a fire lit by the Protestants in 1569, reducing the sides to ashes.

The reconstruction took place at the end of the 16th century (1597), under the impetus of the chapter of Bourges, which had a new transept and bedside erected. The Romanesque central nave, perhaps of origin, remained. In the 18th century, the canons had the eastern part of the castle razed to build a presbytery, still used today. The façade of the church was provided with a monumental door around 1836, while interior woodwork and embellishments date from the same period or from the 18th century.

Listed among the Historical Monuments since 1986, the church now belongs to the commune. Its architecture thus combines Romanesque (nef), Gothic (post-fire reconstruction) and Neoclassical (19th century facade), reflecting the religious and political upheavals of the region. The location of Beaulieu-sur-Loire on the banks of the Loire also made it a strategic place during the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.

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