Saint Nicholas Church en Savoie

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Nicolas de Bonne, in Haute-Savoie, finds its origins in two successive buildings. The first church, dedicated to Saint Peter, was built outside the village, at the foot of the hill, before the new town was founded in the 13th century by Aymon II of Faucigny. With the construction of the new church of St. Nicholas, the old building was reserved for burials, and then fell into ruins in the 16th century. This first place of worship marked the religious anchoring of the community before it moved to the heart of the village.

The second church, erected in the 15th century, occupied the site of a 12th century castral chapel in the hamlet of Haute-Bonne. It preserves primitive elements, such as the 13th century choir, adorned with blazes on the pillars, while its nave was restored and enlarged in 1581. The interventions continued in the 18th century, with the renovation of the chapels ordered by Bishop Jean-Pierre Biord of Geneva during his pastoral visit in 1768. Major works still took place between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Among the features of the building, a commemorative plaque in Gothic characters, dating from the late 15th or early 16th century, bears witness to its history. The church thus illustrates the architectural and religious evolutions of the Haute-Savoie, between medieval heritage and modern adaptations, while remaining a central place for the local community.

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