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Origin and history

The Saint-Germain church, located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the Yvelines, is one of the two parishes of the city. Its history dates back to the 14th century, with a first parish and royal church dedicated to Saint Germain. In the 17th century, Jules Hardouin-Mansart built a second after the partial collapse of the building in 1681, by order of Colbert. In 1765, under Louis XV, the project of a third, larger church was adopted with the plans of Nicolas Marie Potain, but the works were abandoned due to lack of funding and then interrupted by the Revolution in 1791.

The construction of the present church, fourth of the site, began in 1824 under Louis XVIII, according to the plans of the architects Jean Aimé Moutier and Alexandre Jacques Malcèche, students of Charles Percier. Inspired by neo-classicism and paleo-Christian basilicas, it was blessed in 1827. By 1830, building defects appeared, requiring a restoration entrusted to Joseph Nicolle between 1848 and 1854. Its sleek style, marked by the absence of arches and curved lines, reflects the philosophical ideals of the "return to nature" dear to Rousseau.

The building houses remarkable furniture, including a Descent of the Cross attributed to Benedetto Antelami (XII century), a 14th century Virgin with Child discovered during the works, and a Baroque chair offered by Louis XIV, coming from the chapel of the Palace of Versailles. The frescoes of Amaury-Duval (1857) adorn the nave and the abside, while the great organ, commissioned by Louis XIV in 1698 and redesigned by Cavaillé-Coll, is classified as a historical monument. The church is also linked to figures such as Claude Debussy, baptized in his walls, or Jacques Fesch, whose funerals took place there.

Ranked a historic monument in 1937, the Saint-Germain church symbolizes both the royal anchor of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, its urban evolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, and its artistic heritage, mixing medieval heritage, classical influences and modern restorations. Its history reflects the political and religious upheavals of France, from the Ancien Régime to the constitutional monarchy.

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