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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne de Corbeil-Essonnes, dedicated to the martyr Stephen, finds its origins in the tenth century, as evidenced by a quotation from Suger de Saint-Denis in 1121 evoking its existence for two hundred years. At the time, it belonged to Anseau de Garlande during the reign of Louis VI, before being assigned to the Priory of Gournay-sur-Marne and then to the Abbey of Cluny. The oldest parts, such as the base of the bell tower and the gate, date from the 11th century, while the choir and the bell tower were made in the 13th century. The building, located on the former town of Essonnes, on the edge of National Road 7, was marked by collateral damage, especially in 1628 during the explosion of the nearby powder mill.

In the 19th century, during the Second Empire, the choir was restored, and the church was classified as a historic monument on 25 March 1930. A major discovery took place in 2011: a 15th century fresco, extending over 300 m2, was discovered under a crepi during works. Representing musical angels and probably a last judgment, this work in red and ochre, damaged in the 18th or 19th centuries, was described as "exceptional" by the Historical Monuments. The bronze bell of 1784, classified in 1944, completes this remarkable heritage, combining Romanesque, Gothic architecture and preserved medieval decorations.

The building now combines elements of the 11th, 13th and 15th centuries: a portal and a base of Romanesque bell towers, a Gothic choir with three ships, and a nave without partially transept of the 12th century. Among his treasures, a canvas illustrating the stoning of Saint Stephen and traces of 15th century paintings on the frame recall his rich past. The fresco of the vault, being restored, could cover the entire nave and choir, going down even along the walls, offering a rare testimony of medieval religious art in Île-de-France.

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