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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Maurice church of Annecy, originally dedicated to Saint Dominique, was built from 1422 on the initiative of Cardinal Brogny as the chapel of a Dominican convent. Located on the edge of the ramparts, near a canal linking the Thiou to the Massé, it was consecrated in 1445 although not completed. Its vaults were built in 1491. The change of name for Saint Maurice, patron saint of Savoy, took place after the destruction of the old homonymous church near the castle. This monument reflects the flamboyant Savoyard Gothic architecture, typical of the Alps, although Raymond Oursel highlights his lack of aesthetic research, attributed to a lack of resources.

During the French Revolution, the church was looted and transformed: a grain market and then a stable. It was returned to worship in 1803 under the Concordat, definitively adopting the name of Saint-Maurice. The bell tower, destroyed, was rebuilt in 1822. A major restoration took place in 2014-2015. Inside, the chapel Notre-Dame-de-Pitié-et-Saint-Michel, erected in 1478 for Count Janus de Savoie and his wife Hélène de Luxembourg, houses their burials. The murals, such as the Assumption of Mary or the tomb of Philibert de Monthoux, bear witness to prestigious sponsors, including the family of Luxembourg.

The organ, installed in 1869 by Merklin-Schütze and modified in 1966, as well as the four bells – one from 1561 fondue in Bern and a rare steel bell – illustrate the heritage diversity of the place. The church, protected from 1943 (registration) and partially classified in 1957, embodies both Savoyard religious heritage and historical upheavals, from the Renaissance to the Revolution. Its sober style and artistic elements make it a key witness to the history of the Anecean.

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