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Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Geneviève de Blanzy-lès-Fismes, located in the department of Aisne in the Hauts-de-France region, is a religious building built on the edge of the 12th and 13th centuries. It presents a plan in Latin cross, typical of medieval ecclesiastical architecture, with a ceiling nave and arched parts of warheads. The bell tower, built in a building, overcomes the cross of the transept, while traces of ancient polychromy persist on some walls. Although partially amputated (south arm of the transept and low-north side missing), the church retains remarkable elements such as the ancient hangs of the western gate and a 16th century stone virgin adorning the tympanum.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 28 September 1921, the church underwent restorations in the early twentieth century, notably between 1921 and 1923, led by architect Lucien Sallez, after damage caused in August 1918 during the withdrawal of the German army. Its history is marked by architectural changes, such as the probable destruction of a side chapel or altar niche in the late 16th or early 17th century, replaced by a sacristy. Under the Old Regime, the parish depended on the diocese of Soissons, and the parish priest was appointed by the Archbishop of Reims, reflecting the complex ecclesiastical ties of the region.

The building illustrates the transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles, with a nave and choir dating from the late twelfth century, while the transept, the lower sides and the vaulting of the choir were added at the beginning of the thirteenth century. The western gate, with you under high spoil, is characteristic of this pivotal period. The cover, damaged during the First World War, was restored identically, preserving its authenticity. The church remains a major architectural and historical testimony of medieval Picardia, linked to the abbey of Saint-Yved in Braine and to local ecclesiastical structures.

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