Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Thérèse du Val-Vert was built between 1961 and 1963 in an expanding area south of Puy-en-Velay in Haute-Loire. Its modern architecture, signed by architect Jacques Prioleau, contrasts with the traditional buildings of the region. The building, spread over three levels to adapt to the slope of the ground, is distinguished by its raw concrete facades and glass windows designed by the painter-glass Léon Zack. A fragment of Jerusalem's Probatic Pool, reported by the Lachaume entrepreneur, is embedded in the Baptistery.

The structure is based on four concrete pillars supporting a copper-covered metal frame. Inside, the floor is paved with a slate, while the walls and ceiling are covered with pine panelling. The liturgical furniture, sober and contemporary, is mainly the work of the ponot sculptor Philippe Kaeppelin: engraved granite altar, baptismal tank, benigners, Christ of copper glory, and tabernacle with golden bronze door. A wooded patio, surrounded by the Baptistery and a chapel dedicated to Saint Teresa, precedes the entrance to the sanctuary.

The church is fully registered with historical monuments by order of 14 June 2002, thus recognizing its heritage value. Its sleek architecture and artistic integration reflect the modern aspirations of the Catholic Church in the 1960s, while harmonizing with the modest neighbourhood around it. The collaboration between local architects, artists and artisans is a remarkable testimony to the liturgical and architectural renewal of the post-war period.

The choice of raw materials (concrete, granite, copper) and the absence of unnecessary decoration underline a desire for simplicity and functionality. Leon Zack's windows, as well as the batik panel adorning the choir, bring a colorful and spiritual touch to the ensemble. The building also illustrates the influence of contemporary artistic movements on places of worship, marking a break with the neo-Gothic or neo-Roman styles still dominant in the early twentieth century.

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