Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame-du-Châtel, located in Autun in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is attested for the first time in 1204, although historian Harold de Fontenay suggests an older origin. Already in ruins in the 15th century, it was transformed into a collegiate church in 1450 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Burgundy, who was buried there with several members of his family. The building also housed the famous painting The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin by Jan van Eyck, now preserved elsewhere.

The church was desecrated and completely demolished in 1794 during the French Revolution. Its materials were partly reused, as two Roman medallions integrated into a frieze on the Rue de l'Arquebuse. Its location, originally named Place de la Loi, became Place Saint-Louis in 1814, in tribute to King Louis XVIII. The tomb of Nicolas Rolin was rediscovered in 2020 during archaeological excavations.

Notre-Dame-du-Châtel played a central role in the religious and social life of Autun, especially as a burial place for the local elite. Its destruction symbolized revolutionary upheavals, while its memory continued through works of art and archaeological remains. Van Eyck's painting, commissioned by Rolin, bears witness to its artistic and historical importance.

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