Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sainte-Foy de Chartres church, located near the Place du Général-de-Gaulle, finds its origins in the 11th century in the form of a chapel outside the walls, frequented by Fulbert de Chartres and his disciples, including Bernard de Chartres. The latter evokes in a letter written between 1006 and 1012 his attachment to this place of prayer and study, then isolated from the city walls. The chapel was integrated into the urban enclosure in the 12th century, when it became a parish church, with the addition of a nave and a stone Romanesque portal of Berchères.

In the 15th century, the church bedside was rebuilt in a Gothic style, marking the second major phase of its architectural history. In 1793, during the French Revolution, the building was sold as national property to a certain Morin, who demolished part of it to build a theatre there between 1797 and 1806. Four spans of the nave were destroyed, and the bedside was transformed into an elliptical hall with stage and lodges, while a modern facade masked the Romanesque portal. The latter, rediscovered in 1993 during work, was preserved and integrated into the square Jean-Lelièvre.

Today, the church of Sainte-Foy remains only its 15th century bedside, equipped with modern glass windows and used as a sales hall, as well as the remains of the 12th century Romanesque portal, classified historical monument by decree of 28 December 1937. These elements testify to the successive transformations of the building, from a medieval place of worship to a cultural and commercial space. The portal, in particular, illustrates the Romanesque art cartrain, while the bedside reflects late Gothic evolutions.

Among the notable historical traces, a drawing by Louis Boudan attests to the existence of a glazed stained glass window, representing Florent d'Illiers (1400–175), knight and bailly de Chartres. This stained glass window, formerly located in the Chapel of the Communion, highlighted the link between the church and the 15th century local figures. The partial demolition of the building in the 18th century, followed by its reallocation, marked a turning point in its history, reflecting the political and urban upheavals of the time.

External links