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Origin and history

The Saint-Firmin Tower of Beaugency, built in the 16th century, is the only remaining vestige of the old parish church of the same name, destroyed in 1793 after its sale as a national property. This bell tower, commanded by Jean d'Orléans-Longueville (now cardinal in 1533), was built between that date and 1547, as evidenced by its weapons and its cardinal hat carved on the vault key of the ground floor. The Renaissance-style tower incorporates late Gothic elements, such as belfry arches and octagonal pendants. Its screw staircase, located in the southeast corner, serves a cover in truncated pavilion surmounted by an arrow.

The church of Saint-Firmin, attested as early as 1080, was burned by the Protestants in 1567 or 1568, then rebuilt from 1577 under the direction of master mason Jean Duperrat. The latter adjusted a north side and erected a western facade inspired by the ancient doric order, described in the 19th century by Jacques-Nicolas Pellieux as a remarkable work, with composite niches and a Corinthian portal. The original statues, carved by Guillaume Bourdin (active on the site in 1577-1578), were destroyed by the Huguenots and replaced by works deemed less harmonious. The medieval crypt, dedicated to Sainte Avoye, disappeared with the rest of the building.

Architecturally, the tower is distinguished by its arched ground floor, formerly the entrance door to the church, and its upper part, where a dowry cross-section supports the eight-sided belfry. Romanesque remains, rare, include a bay near the old south transept, now visible on the wall of the presbytery of Our Lady. The west facade, described as a contrast between a decorated right wing and a tasteless rest of construction, illustrates the successive transformations of the building, marked by the Wars of Religion and reconstructions.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1913, the Saint-Firmin Tower now belongs to the municipality of Beaugency. Its history reflects the religious and political upheavals of the French Renaissance, from its medieval foundation to its revolutionary destruction, to the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants that shaped its present appearance.

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