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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Nicolas de Beaune, located in the department of Côte-d From this first construction the nave, transept and choir remain today, while the western massif and bell tower, of separate masonry, appear posterior. Its architecture combines Romanesque (single-ship nave) and Gothic elements (broken arched bays, polylobed roses), reflecting its reshaping in the 14th and 15th centuries. The exterior porch, or "caquetry", with its drip frame, and the hexagonal stair tower testify to these stylistic developments.

In the 19th century, the church was the subject of numerous restorations: renovation of the façade in the 1830s, covering work between 1834 and 1840, and in 1921 under the direction of architect Lobot. The adjacent cemetery was moved in 1849, and the corner turret restored in 1858. The porch was restored between 1908 and 1910 by Eugène Méhu, while in 1949 the original roof washes were replaced by flat tiles. Ranked a historic monument in 1921, the church preserves notable sculpted details, such as cornice modillons or interior plant capitals.

Father Victor Chocarne (1824–81), parish priest of Saint-Nicolas, played a significant role in local religious history by organizing in 1872 the first national pilgrimage of banners to Lourdes. This pilgrimage, initiated from Beaune, contributes to the spiritual fame of the church. The building, owned by the municipality, remains a characteristic example of Burgundy religious architecture, combining parish functions and preserved medieval heritage.

The current structure reveals a dogive vaulted nave, a polygonal bedside and lancetted bays surmounted by roses, typical of Burgundy Gothic. Inside, the absence of coating on the walls and figurative windows highlights the apparent stone and the sculpted caps of floral motifs. Outside, a walled door (south wall) and masculine consoles recall the successive transformations of the building, linked to the expansion of the suburb Saint-Nicolas from the 13th century (first serving attested in 1290).

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