Initial construction XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
Romanesque building with apse in cul-de-four.
XVIe siècle
Expansion and overhaul
Expansion and overhaul XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Addition of arches and side chapels.
21 avril 1948
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 21 avril 1948 (≈ 1948)
Registration by official order.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Church (Box B 345): registration by decree of 21 April 1948
Origin and history
The Saint-Saturnin church of Marcilly-sur-Maulne is a Romanesque building built in the 12th century, whose architecture reflects the characteristics of this period. Its initial plane includes a nave extended by a choir ending in semicircular apse arched in cul-de-four. Two side chapels, later added, frame the span of the choir, illustrating a liturgical and spatial evolution typical of the rural churches of the region.
In the 16th century, the church underwent significant enlargements, marked by the addition of angeline vaults in the nave, divided into two spans. This stylistic reshuffle reflects the influence of nearby Anjou's architectural techniques. The bell tower, located to the south of the first span of the nave, presents itself as a four-storey tower, the last of which, sheltering the belfry, is pierced with twin bays in the middle of the wall. These changes reflect both practical needs (sounding, lighting) and a desire to beautify.
Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 21 April 1948, the church is now owned by the commune of Marcilly-sur-Maulne. Its inscription protects the entire building (Box B 345), highlighting its heritage value. Although the sources do not specify its current state of openness to the public, its central location (the Church Square) makes it a major historical landmark of the village, linked to community life since the Middle Ages.
