Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Germain church of Bourgueil, mentioned as early as 1002 in a papal bubble of Sylvestre II, is a religious building anchored in local history. Consecrated in 1115, she saw her choir rebuilt in the 13th century in the Plantagenet style, characteristic of medieval regional architecture. This rectangular choir is based on four monolithic columns, while its arch keys, decorated with bas-reliefs and paintings, bear witness to remarkable artistic know-how.

In the 19th century, the church underwent major changes. Between 1851 and 1860, the painter-glassmaker Julien-Léopold Lobin, based in Tours, made a first series of stained glass windows under the impulse of parish priest Louis Belliard. In 1888, a major restoration concerned the nave and the bell tower, whose arrow was partially dismantled. That same year, a second stained glass campaign was conducted by Lucien-Leopold Lobin, thus perpetuating the family's artistic heritage. The building was finally listed as a historic monument in 1908, recognizing its heritage value.

The church also preserves traces of its old nave of the eleventh century, rebuilt in 1888. Its current location on the Church Square in Bourgueil makes it a central point of the municipality. The protected elements, including the entire building (Cadastre E 174), are the property of the municipality. This monument thus illustrates almost a millennium of religious and architectural history in Touraine.

External links