Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Agathe, located in Rumilly in Haute-Savoie, finds its origins in the ninth century with a first primitive church. In 1146, a Benedictine priory dependent on the abbey of Nantua was established there, dedicated to Saint Agathe, patron saint of the city, thanks to relics preserved there. Only the chapel Saint-Claude, founded in the 15th century by the lords of Conzié, remains of this medieval period. The building, rebuilt several times, suffered major damage during the earthquake of 1822, leading to its demolition in 1838 and its reconstruction in a neo-classical Sardinian style, inspired by the architecture of Turin and Piedmont.

The present church, consecrated in 1843, is distinguished by its rigid and conventional style, typical of Sardinian neo-classicism. His frescoes and trompe-l'oeil sets, made in 1853 by artists Baud and Alberti, have been classified since 1994 and have been restored between 2013 and 2015. The organ, built in 1880 by Joseph Merklin, a romantic aesthetic, was modified in 1958, then restored and classified in 1985. The 12th century bell tower houses four bells, two of which are dated from 1639 signed by the founders Humbert and Roch, and two post-revolutionaries of the Paccard foundry.

The building, inscribed in the historic monuments in 1926 and 2009, illustrates Rumilly's architectural and religious evolution, marked by successive reconstructions and an adaptation to dominant artistic styles. Its history also reflects the links between Savoy and Piedmont, visible in the choice of the Sardinian neo-classical style, as well as the local importance of the cult of Saint Agathe, protector of the city since the Middle Ages.

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