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Origin and history

The Saint-Maurice church of Besançon, dedicated to Saint Maurice, finds its origins in the sixth century, with a foundation wrongly or not attributed to Bishop Sylvestre. The building, destroyed and rebuilt several times (VII, VIII, X centuries), underwent a major transformation in the 16th century under the impulse of Nicole Bonvalot and Nicolas Lulier, before being shaved to give way to the present church.

The present Jesuit-style building was erected in the early eighteenth century after the demolition of the medieval choir in 1704. The first stone was laid on 17 Oct. 1704, and the works were completed in 1714, with a façade completed in 1723. During the Revolution, the church was disused, its furniture sold at auction in 1794, and the building itself alienated in 1798 before being bought in 1802 by private individuals, including two priests.

In the 13th century, Saint-Maurice became one of the eight intramural parishes of Besançon, acquiring in the 16th century the status of "great parish", the most prestigious in the city despite its small size. Joined by the Granvelle family (including Nicolas Perrenot, Chancellor of Charles Quint), she had five priests in 1518. The parish was abolished in 1791, and the church, transformed into a national good, was little immune to destruction.

A significant episode of the 17th century linked the church to the Counter-Reform: a cross, supposedly saved from the Protestants of Porrentruy, was exhibited there on Palm Sunday. This symbol of Catholic resistance illustrates the spiritual and political role of Saint-Maurice in the Besançon d'Ancien Régime.

Ranked a historic monument on 13 January 1938, the church today embodies the Baroque heritage of Franche-Comte. Its bell tower, located at the back of the choir (a particularity), and its stands bear witness to architectural innovations of the eighteenth century, while its facade, completed late, crowns a century of reconstructions.

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