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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Maimbéuf church in Montbéliard is a neo-Renaissance parish church built between 1850 and 1880, classified as a historical monument since 1994. It replaces an ancient medieval church, dedicated to Saint Peter and then to Saint Maimbeuf, destroyed in 1810. Its strategic location on a promontory, dominating the ancient Protestant temple St.Georges, symbolizes the Catholic reconquest in this historically Protestant city until the 19th century.

The construction of the present church spanned three decades, with financial difficulties and the abandonment of a second tower in 1884. It is erected on the ruins of the Lutheran University of Montbéliard, founded in 1598 by Heinrich Schickhardt for Prince Frédéric, but closed in 1677 after the French occupation. The south, east and west wings of the university were destroyed to free space, and the nave was inaugurated in 1866.

The neo-Renaissance architecture of the church is inspired by Saint Peter of Rome, with elements such as a spiral staircase inherited from the Lutheran university and a wooden frame supporting a "false vault". The building houses an organ of 1831, restored on several occasions, as well as retables and classified paintings, including the Martyr of Saint Maimbeuf and the Annunciation. These decorations reflect the artistic and religious importance of the monument.

The church, its bases, crypt and adjoining shops have been protected since 1994. Its history illustrates the denominational tensions of the region, between Protestant heritage and post-Revolution Catholic affirmation, while at the same time testifying to the urban evolution of Montbéliard in the 19th century.

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