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Origin and history

Saint-Michel de Pont-l'Évêque Church, located in the Calvados department in Normandy, is a Catholic religious building built at the hinge of the 15th and 16th centuries. It is part of the tradition of late flamboyant gothic, characteristic of Lower Normandy, with a three-nave plan without transept. Its structure consists of an eight-span raised nave, sideways, and an imposing tower to the west. The vaults of the collaterals, adorned with liernes, thirdons and pending keys, reflect this refined architectural style, rare in the region.

The building of the church, between 1480 and 1530, was financed by the tithes of John V of Pouchin, Baron of Joncquerets, under the supervision of the local bishop and with the supervision of the works by William of Samaison, architect who also worked at the church of Saint-Jacques of Lisieux. The building suffered major damage during the fighting of the Liberation in 1944, before being gradually restored. Ranked a historic monument in 2008, it now belongs to the commune and is distinguished by its absence of capitals on cylindrical pillars, as well as by a narrow gallery adorning the lateral walls.

The Saint-Michel church embodies an architectural heritage marked by the conflicts of the twentieth century and contemporary restorations. Its interior decor, typical of the flamboyant Gothic, makes it a precious witness to Norman religious art of the Renaissance. The sacristy, included in the 2008 ranking, completes this protected ensemble, located on the Church Square in Pont-l'Evêque, in the heart of a territory marked by medieval and modern history.

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