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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint Quentin de Chazelles, located in Scy-Chazelles near Metz, is a fortified building dating back to 1120, when Bishop Stephen de Bar built a chapel there. The present building, erected at the end of the 12th century, initially consists of a vaulted nave in cradle and an apse in cul-de-four, with Romanesque windows still visible today. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, two side chapels were added, and the ensemble was fortified: a creneled floor was arranged above the nave, and fire flares were pierced in the walls.

In 1862, the church became one of the first listed monuments of Moselle. Under German annexation (1871-1918), architect Paul Tornow carried out important transformations in 1887: widening the windows, condemning the Romanesque door, adding foothills and changing the bedside. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1930, it underwent restorations in 1966 (discovery of mural paintings) and in 1999 (partial removal of Tornow's foothills to regain its medieval appearance).

The church is inseparable from Robert Schuman, a major figure in the European construction. Died in 1963, he was first buried in the communal cemetery before his remains were transferred in 1966 to the chapel Saint-Quentin, close to his house-museum. In 2005, a contemporary liturgical furniture, signed Arcabas, was installed to mark the 55th anniversary of his founding speech of Europe (9 May 1950).

Architecturally, the church illustrates the style of fortified messine churches, with crenelated walls and defensive system (breek, burning). The changes of the 19th century, although controversial, bear witness to the adaptations suffered under German domination. Subsequent restorations sought to reconcile the preservation of medieval heritage with the integration of modern elements, such as the works of Arcabas.

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