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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Gallardon, located in the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, is a Catholic building built mainly in the 12th and 13th centuries. Its Romanesque portal, oriented south-south-west, bears witness to its medieval origin, while its facade, flanked by foothills and pierced with broken arched bays, reflects Gothic influences. Ranked a historical monument in 1862, it illustrates the architectural evolution between these two periods.

In the 13th century, a choir raised from the nave was added, characterized by a triforium supported by 52 columns. This choir is connected to the early nave by a narrow arch arch, marking a stylistic transition. The bell tower, backed by a quadrangular tower of the 16th century, carries a modern arrow replacing that destroyed by lightning in 1788. The interior houses chapels of the 13th and 16th centuries, as well as remarkable furniture such as an 18th century eagle-lutrin and baptismal fonts of 1586.

The building preserves fragments of stained glass from the 13th, 16th and 17th centuries, completed in the 19th and 20th centuries by works of the Lorin de Chartres workshops, representing saints and biblical scenes. The statuary, including representations of the Virgin with the Child, St Peter and St George terrorizing the dragon, enriches its artistic heritage. Several tombstones, dated between the 16th and 18th centuries, commemorate local figures, including royal officers, mayors and parish priests, reflecting Gallardon's social history.

The church is part of the parish of La Sainte Famille en Voise-Drouette, attached to the dean of the Vallée de l'Eure. Its hybrid architecture, blending Romanesque and Gothic, and its diverse furniture make it a major testimony to the religious and historical heritage of Eure-et-Loir. Subsequent changes, such as the bell tower's contemporary arrow, underline its continuous adaptation to the hazards of time.

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