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Origin and history

The church Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Mézières-en-Brenne, located in the Indre department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, was founded in the 14th century as a collegiate church of the castle. It was initiated in 1333 by Alix de Brabant, wife of John III of Harcourt, and consecrated on 22 July 1339 by the Archbishop of Bourges Foucaud de Rochechouart. This monument served as a burial for its founder, who died in 1341, and reflects the seigneurial influence of the Harcourt family.

In the 15th century, the seigneury of Mézières passed to Charles of Anjou, then to his son Louis of Anjou-Mézières, who established his burial in 1489 in a north chapel under construction. In 1543, Nicolas d'Anjou-Mézières, grandson of Louis, founded a second chapel on the south side, larger and dedicated to Notre-Dame, consecrated in 1559. These additions marked the architectural evolution of the building, combining Gothic and Renaissance styles.

The church suffered a gradual deterioration from the 19th century, despite its classification as historical monuments in 1862. Reports from 1840 to 1880 highlighted its alarming state, requiring partial restorations (carpents, stained glass windows, masonries) up to the 20th century. Prosper Mérimée, in 1850, severely judged his architectural interest, with the exception of the chapel of Anjou, remarkable for its ornamentation.

Furniture and stained glass are the riches of the building. The stained glass windows, dating from the 14th and 16th centuries, represent donors and their patron saints. Among them are the glass windows of the abside (1333–1339) and those of the chapel of Anjou (16th century). The church also houses 24 15th century stalls, a bas-relief of Klagmann, and a 19th century ostensoir.

The richly carved porch features historic pilasters and statuettes under serrated baldaquins. Originally, the bell tower was surmounted by three needles, replaced in the 19th century by a wooden frame. The walls of the choir preserve traces of medieval paintings, including a tetramorph. The chapel of Anjou, separated from the nave by an Italianizing fence, illustrates the artistic influence of the Renaissance.

The history of the church is inseparable from its founders: Alix de Brabant, cousin of Philip IV the Bel, then the lords of Anjou, who made it a place of dynastic memory. Despite the criticisms of the 19th century, its preservation bears witness to its historical role in the natural region of Brenne, within the archdiocese of Bourges.

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