Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Sepulcre de Montdidier finds its origins in the crusades. Payen de Montdidier, founder of the Order of the Templars, and Hugues I of Vermandois, brother of King Philip I, reported in 1099 relics of the True Cross after the siege of Jerusalem. These relics were offered to Montdidier, motivating the construction of a first church in 1146, located outside the city walls. The building was destroyed and rebuilt several times: in 1411, then in 1419 inside the ramparts, and finally between 1510 and 1519 to replace a church deemed too small.

In 1523, the church was destroyed by the artillery of Charles Quint. Gravely damaged during the First World War in 1918, it was restored between 1920 and 1939, with major works completed in 1935 and stained glass windows laid in 1939. Ranked a historic monument in 1920, it suffered further damage in 1940 during the Battle of France, before being reopened to the public in 1960. The stained glass windows, restored in the 1970s, are the work of master glassmaker Jacques Gruber.

The church, flamboyant Gothic style, is home to remarkable elements such as a 16th century tomb, statues of the apostles, and six 17th century Brussels tapestries classified as historical monuments. His choir and his sides are illuminated by stained glass windows evoking the Holy Sepulchre, the Passion of Christ, and the history of the Crusades. The woodwork of the choir dates from the 18th century, and a bas-relief of the 16th century Virgin adorns the chapel of the baptismal fonts.

Three bells are present in the bell tower, one of which, "Denise-Michelle", was saved from melting by the Germans in 1940. The church, located in the heart of Montdidier, is a major architectural and historical testimony of the region, mixing medieval influences, Renaissance and Art Deco.

External links