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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Sainte-Eugénie church, located in the heart of the Soissons train station district, owes its existence to the bequest of the Countess of Finfe. This donation, intended to finance a fountain, two primary schools and the church itself, allowed the launch of the works in 1879 under the direction of architect-voyer Casimir Truchy. Unlike the neo-Gothic style then in vogue, Truchy opted for a Romano-Byzantine style, inspired by the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure in Marseille. The work was completed in 1881, marking the birth of a unique building in the local architectural landscape.

The church suffered significant damage during the two world wars, requiring identical restorations after each conflict. The destruction of the First World War paved the way for the creation of a set of glass windows figurated between 1932 and 1938, made by master glassmaker Auguste Labouret. These stained glass windows, innovative by their technique of mixing glass slabs and cement network, were partially destroyed in December 1944. They were replaced in 1956 and 1957 by new works by the same artist, contributing to the reputation of the building.

Classified as a Historic Monument by decree of 29 July 2005, the Church of St. Eugénie is now protected for the exceptional quality of its stained glass windows and its architecture representative of the eclecticism of the second half of the 19th century. The building, owned by the municipality of Soissons, bears witness to both the generosity of its patron, the Countess of Finfe, and the know-how of the craftsmen who worked on its construction and its successive restorations.

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