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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Nicolas de Maule, located in the Yvelines, is a religious building combining Romanesque and Gothic styles, whose origins date back to the 11th century. Its history begins on an ancient site dedicated to the cult of Jupiter, before becoming a Christian place in the Middle Ages. The first church, built between the 11th and 12th centuries, was given in 1076 by Pierre de Maule to Benedictine monks of Saint-Evroult in Normandy. Its architecture evolved with the addition of a lower hall in the 13th century and a Renaissance tower between 1528 and 1547.

In the 15th century, a priory was built nearby, partially preserved today. The church was restored in the 19th century before being classified as a historical monument in 1883. Its priory has been home to the Victor Aubert Museum since 1938, dedicated to local archaeology and popular arts, as well as a municipal library. The Romanesque crypt, one of the largest in the Yvelines, and the crowned capitals bear witness to its Norman medieval heritage.

The fraternity of Saint-Sébastien, active between 1667 and 1795, gathered the inhabitants of Maule during annual festivals on 20 January. This brotherhood, open to all trades, illustrates the community and religious life of the city under the Old Regime. The preserved archives, such as the minutes, offer an overview of local traditions related to the church and its social role.

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