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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne, mentioned as early as 1066 in a charter of donation to the cathedral of Nice, originally belongs to the seigneury of Thorame-Glandevès. Its Gothic choir of the 14th century, with star vaults with veins and ivy, is a rare example in the County of Nice, comparable to that of the Church of Saint-Véran of Utelle (early 16th century). The Lombard Romanesque bell tower, dated 1492, survived the fire of 1594 lit by the troops of Lesdiguières during the religious wars, which destroyed the church and part of the village. Only the bell tower resists, allowing the continuation of worship in the surrounding chapels.

The reconstruction began in 1613 with local masters Georges Emeric and Antoine Isoard, who were responsible for repairing the collapsed arcades and consolidating the walls. In 1783 the bishop of Nice Valperga de Maglione, dismayed by the state of the building, ordered its demolition and reconstruction under penalty. The community, reluctant to face costs, finally gave way in 1784 after the dispatch of a military troop. The plans are entrusted to the Swiss architect Antoine Spinelli, controlled by Antonio Maria Lampo, and the works awarded to Joseph Ballestre for 16,490 lire. Delays and conflicts (bad quality of materials, abandonment of the site in 1788) delayed completion to 1789, the year of consecration.

The Baroque facade, transition to the neoclassical, is distinguished by its doric and ionic pilasters, triangular pediment, and lateral volutes. Inside, a vast central span is surmounted by a cap decorated with an Assumption attributed to Emmanuel Costa (XIXth century). The furniture includes a Baroque high altar of 1669 and a canvas of the Annunciation (1700) by Jacques Bottéro. The Agati organ (1829), restored in 1997, and the bell tower (classified in 1908) complete this protected heritage, the church being registered since 1935.

The sources point to mixed architectural influences (Nice Gothic, Piedmontese Baroque, Neoclassical) and historical tensions related to reconstruction. The archives also mention a religious art museum housed in the building, as well as classified objects listed by the Palissy base.

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