Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Léger de Longpré, now integrated into the municipality of Amiens, finds its origins in a Benedictine priory-curtain mentioned since 1125, dependent on the abbey of Saint-Fuscien. Although the medieval church lasted until the 17th century, its reconstruction was decided in 1853, marking a turning point in its architectural history.

In 1856, an architectural contest was organized for its reconstruction, won by Henri Parent, a Parisian architect. His plans were partially modified in 1857 on the advice of Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, especially for the structure and repositioning of the sacristy. This project illustrates the influence of the neo-Gothic movement in France in the 19th century.

The current neo-Gothic building is distinguished by its brick structure and its slate roof, organized according to a flat bedside Latin cross plan. The bell tower, located in the southeast, and the limestone gate highlight its entrance. Inside, the nave, transept and choir are covered with arched arches, while broken arched bays illuminate the space. The polychromy of the panellings of the choir and the north transept, as well as the fence in limestone and wrought iron, bear witness to a special attention paid to the decoration.

The chapel of the Baptist Fonts, integrated into the tower of the bell tower, and the tripartite stained glass windows west of the choir reflect a thought liturgical conception. The church, classified in the heritage inventory, embodies both a medieval heritage and an architectural renaissance of the 19th century, typical of the ecclesiastical reconstructions of the period.

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