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Origin and history

Loëns' enclosures were a complex dependent on the cathedral chapter of Chartres, bringing together a cellar, an attic, a prison and a common oven. These buildings were used to store tithes and rents perceived in nature, as well as to imprison convicted persons by ecclesiastical justice. The cellar, accessible by a ramp, and the attic, located at the level of carts, illustrate a logistic organization adapted to medieval harvests. Current soils raise the original level by about 1.50 metres, reflecting subsequent changes.

During the Revolution, the site retained its storage functions, becoming a military store and then a general warehouse. The ecclesiastical prisons remained active until 1800, welcoming members of the Orgères band in particular. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Lumière brothers screened several of their films, marking a transition to cultural uses. The Gothic architecture of the cellar, with its three dogive cross naves supported by 12 columns and 20 consoles, makes it a remarkable example of medieval art.

Becoming a property of the city in 1976, the enclosures were restored to accommodate the International Vitrail Centre, dedicated to the promotion of this contemporary art. Its name, "Loëns", could derive from the old French loeis (loyer) or from a Germanic term meaning " barn". Ranked a historic monument in 1862, the pantry remains the only protected element of this complex today open to the public and cultural events.

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