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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Gengoult de Briey, located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in the Grand Est region, is a religious building dating back to the 12th century. Although of dominant Gothic style (11th century), it preserves remains of its early chapel of the twelfth, visible in the central ship. The successive enlargements, notably in the 15th century (bottom-down, north and south chapels) and in the 16th century (revealment), reflect its architectural evolution over centuries. The current choir, rebuilt between 1757 and 1760, marked a late baroque phase, while the bell tower, originally located to the north, was rebuilt after 1736.

The monument is distinguished by its walnut calvary, composed of six life-size statues, installed in the church in the 1950s. This sculptural group came from an external oratory founded in 1534 by the parish priest Jean Milet. A recent restoration revealed traces of polychromy similar to those of Christ on the cross between two larrons by Ligier Richier, preserved at the church of Saint-Étienne in Bar-le-Duc, suggesting an attribution or influence of this major Lorrain artist of the sixteenth century. The building, classified as historical monuments in 1987, thus illustrates both the medieval heritage and artistic contributions of the Lorraine Renaissance.

The restoration campaigns carried out in the 19th (1838, 1866, 1867) and 18th centuries (sacristies in 1785) are evidence of continuous maintenance, linked to its central role in the local community. The church, owned by the municipality of Briey (code Insee 54099), remains a remarkable example of historical stratification, where various architectural styles overlap, from Romanesque remains to classical additions. Its current address, 18 Rue Maréchal Lyautey, corresponds to its historic location in the centre of Val de Briey.

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