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Church of Saint Paul of Nîmes dans le Gard

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Eglise néo-romane
Gard

Church of Saint Paul of Nîmes

    Boulevard Victor Hugo
    30000 Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
Crédit photo : Heilfort Steffen - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1800
1900
2000
1771
Érection de la parishe Saint-Paul
1801
Reopening to worship
1835
Launch of the architectural competition
1835-1849
Construction of church
14 novembre 1849
Church Consecration
1846-1853
Achievements of wall paintings
30 juillet 1909
Historical monument classification
1985
Wedding of Yves Mourousi
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Saint Paul Church: by decree of 30 July 1909

Key figures

Charles-Auguste Questel - Architect Designer of the church and furniture.
Hippolyte Flandrin - Painter Author of murals.
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll - Organ factor Constructor of organ in 1848.
Pierre Boulanger - Ferronier Director of pens and locks.
Paul-Hubert Colin - Sculptor Author of tympanos and capitals.
Laurent Charles Maréchal - Master glassmaker Creator of stained glass.
Yves Mourousi - Media personality Married in the church in 1985.

Origin and history

Saint Paul de Nîmes Church, located in the Gard department, is a neo-Roman building built between 1835 and 1849 under the direction of architect Charles-Auguste Questel. It has been a historic monument since 1909 and is characterized by an imposing 62-metre bell tower overlooking the city. Its architecture is inspired by Romanesque churches, with a staggered bedside and a facade adorned with sculptures made by Paul-Hubert Colin, representing religious scenes like Christ surrounded by evangelists and Saint Paul with Saint Castor and Saint Baudile.

The interior of the church houses remarkable wall paintings by Hippolyte Flandrin, now partially degraded, as well as stained glass windows created by master glassmaker Laurent Charles Maréchal. The door hangers and locks, made by ironmaker Pierre Boulanger, are also notable, as is the organ built in 1848 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. The building, conceived as the first neo-medieval church in France, reflects a desire for harmony between architecture and furniture, entirely designed by Questel.

The history of the church is marked by events such as the mediated marriage of Yves Mourousi in 1985. Its construction, launched after a competition in 1835, exceeded the initial budgets, reaching nearly one million francs. As early as the 1870s, structural problems, including the roof, were reported, stressing the need for restoration. Today, Saint Paul Church remains a symbol of the religious and architectural heritage of Nîmes, although its condition requires preservation work.

Saint Paul parish, erected in 1771, first used the church of the Recollets before its destruction during the Revolution. After its reopening to worship in 1801, the construction of the new church began, marking a key step in the urban history of Nîmes. The materials used, such as the stone of Beaucaire and Roquemalière, as well as the construction techniques, bear witness to an exceptional artisanal and architectural know-how for the time.

External links