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Origin and history

The Saint-Phal church of Avrey, located in Avrey-Lingey in the department of Dawn (Great East), is a Catholic building whose reconstruction began in the sixteenth century. It has the characteristics of a hall church, with a rectangular plan extended by a five-paned apse and a uniform vault height. The construction, interrupted after the first span of the nave, left room for two remarkable gates: one to the north, partially mutilated, decorated with carved scenes such as the Annunciation to the Shepherds and the Nativity, and the other to the south, of Renaissance style (1531-1542), with a niche once housing an Annunciation. These elements combine flamboyant and renaissant Gothic influences, rare in Champagne.

In 1838, the west gate was rebuilt, and the bell tower received an arrow in 1865 according to the plans of architect Lorillard. Inside, the vessels are vaulted on cross-sections of warheads, except for the first span, capped. Between 1860 and 1899, the church was enriched with neogothic altars, stained glass windows and statues, reflecting 19th-century restorations. Since 6 July 1925, it had belonged to the diocese of Langres before the Revolution, stressing its local religious and heritage importance.

The monument thus illustrates a stylistic transition between the Middle Ages and the modern era, marked by major architectural interventions in the 16th and 19th centuries. Its southern portal, dated 1544, recalls that of Chaource, while the additions of the 19th century, like the bell tower arrow, bear witness to a desire for modernization. Today, the church remains a significant example of the Champagne religious heritage, protected and maintained by the municipality of Avrey-Lingey.

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