Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Germain church of Civray-de-Touraine, classified as a Historical Monument, has a composite architecture reflecting several epochs. Its nave and transept, dating from the 11th century, constitute the oldest parts, while the 13th century choir ends with a flat bedside. These Romanesque and Gothic elements coexist with a facade and a bell tower rebuilt in 1861, whose works revealed the remains of a Merovingian Baptistery connected to a primitive church, replaced in the 11th century by the present nave. The southern wall of this nave and the walls of the southern crusillon are the only preserved testimonies of this first construction.

In the 13th century, major changes were made: the north wall of the nave was pierced by a broken arched door, while the choir, divided into two arched spans in the angeline way, replaced the original Romanesque abside. This choir housed a triplet of 13th century stained glass windows, representing scenes of the Passion, of the life of Saint Nicholas and Saint Germain. These stained glass windows were damaged by a bomb in 1944 and were fortunately repaired. The nave wall, raised or repaired at that time, also illustrates the successive adaptations of the building.

The church, owned by the commune, has been partially classified since 1946 (nef, transept, choir) and registered since 1926. Its history reveals an architectural stratification typical of rural religious buildings, where every century has left a mark, from merovingian foundations to modern restorations. Archaeological discoveries, such as the paving of the Baptistery, highlight its anchoring in a much older past than its visible walls.

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