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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre de Longvilliers, located in the Yvelines, finds its origins in the 7th century with the foundation of a priory by monks of the Abbey Saint-Pierre des Fossés. A chapel dedicated to Saint Peter, composed of a nave and an apse, was built in the eighth century and today forms the choir of the building. In the 10th century, a larger nave was added, while the primitive abside was transformed into sacristy. The church, then covered with a wooden ceiling in the shape of an overturned hull, becomes a central place for the local community.

At the beginning of the 12th century, Guido I, Count of Rochefort, enlarged the nave north after his return from crusade. The new structure was dedicated in 1130. The bell tower, probably erected in the 13th century, serves both as a belfry and a defensive tower. After 1448, the church was rebuilt, but suffered major damage during the Wars of Religion (16th century), before being restored between 1968 and 1970. A modern sacristy is then added to the north side.

The architecture of the church combines defensive and religious elements: the bell tower, reinforced by massive foothills, is surmounted by a croup roof and pierced by sound arcades. The 12th century western gate, inscribed as historical monuments in 1950, is distinguished by its archvolts and carved capitals, representing a character with raised arms and grimaces. Inside, the unique nave and chorus hold vestiges of dogid vaults and a console decorated with a bearded face.

The furniture includes a polychrome sculptural group of Mary's Instruction (XVI century) and a stone bentier near the gate. The church, initially priorial, becomes parish and remains a testimony of the architectural and historical transformations of the region, from medieval origins to its modern restorations.

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