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Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Vendôme, known as the church of Madeleine, was founded on 2 June 1474 on a land ceded by the canons of Saint-Georges, at the initiative of Count Jean de Bourbon. This first building, a single nave 42 m long, replaced houses destroyed on Rue Saint-Jacques. Simple branch of the Saint Martin church, it became an independent parish on 5 December 1487, leading to the division of the original parish and the addition of a polygonal apse and the completion of the bell tower.

In the 16th century, the church was enriched with a lower north side (1580) and the Maslon Chapel (1523), founded by Jacques Maslon, lord of Jupiter. Four shallow chapels were added to the south at the beginning of the seventeenth century, followed by a sacristy in 1680. During the Revolution, the building served as a wooden store before being bought in 1795 by parishioners to avoid its desecration. She regained her cultural status under the Concordat.

The flamboyant Gothic architecture of the church is distinguished by its 25 m bell tower with a polygonal arrow, its vaulted apse with liernes and thirdons, and its complex filling bays. Subsequent enlargements (XIXth century) include southern chapels and a organ stand. The 19th century stained glass windows, works of the workshops Lobin, Florence, Fournier and Lorin, illustrate the religious art of the period and incorporate 15th century panels from the Malon Chapel.

Ranked among the historical monuments in 2000, the church bears witness to the patronage of the Counts of Vendôme and the local architectural evolution, from the flamboyant Gothic to the classic additions. Its steeple, elegant and visible in the urban landscape, recalls that of the abbey, while its painted and carved decorations (1878–95) emphasize its central role in the religious life of Vendômois.

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