Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Saint-Croix de Saint-Malo Church, located in the Saint-Servan district, is a classical Catholic religious building. Its construction began in 1715 to replace an old parish church of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which became too small. Only an arcade decorated with a human head remains from the previous building. The church was designed by the engineers of King Amédée Frézier and Simeon Garangeau, as well as by the Malouin architect Jean Datour. It was consecrated in 1743 and paved in 1785.

The tower and the first three spans were added between 1828 and 1840, according to plans of architects Julien Leclair and Hamon, after validation by Victor Baltard. During the Revolution, the building was devastated and used as a forage barn from 1795 to 1801, before being returned to worship. A legend evokes a chapel based on this site by Saint Malo or Charlemagne, but no document confirms it.

The exterior architecture, sober and imposing, includes a portico and a square bell tower in blue granite overlooking the former maritime arsenal. Inside, the 1962 stained glass windows, signed by Joseph Archepel, replace an initial work by Julien-Leopold Lobin. The 19th century murals, made by Louis Duveau, adorn the arcades and the nave with religious and allegorical representations. The two organs, classified as historical monuments since 1980, were built by the Cavaillé-Coll dynasty in the 19th century.

The church houses statues offered by Napoleon III, a marble high altar, and a commemorative plaque dedicated to the sailor Guillaume Dufresne d'Arsel, explorer of Mauritius and Reunion. Four bells, cast between 1861 and 1885, complete this sound heritage. The building was listed as a historical monument on 17 December 1970, recognizing its architectural and historical value.

Among the notable ceremonies were the funerals of historian Louis Duchesne in 1922 and the marriage of deputy Guy La Chambre with singer Cora Madou in 1938. These events illustrate the social and cultural role of the church in the Malay life.

External links