Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel of Saint Sang came into being in the third century, when Saint Victoric, the first evangelizer of the Boulonnais, erected a first place of worship. This site became emblematic in 1100, when Godefroy de Bouillon offered the relic of Saint-Sang to his mother, Countess Ide de Boulogne. From then on, a chapel is constantly attested to, marking the local devotion to this precious relic.

In the third quarter of the 19th century, Abbé Leuillieux initiated the reconstruction of the building, then called the Capelete (dated 1700 by an inscription). The plans were entrusted to the English architect Charles Hansom, and the first stone was laid on 19 March 1859. The site, completed in 1861, saw the consecration of the chapel on 22 July 1862. The neo-Gothic building is distinguished by its painted vaults and sculptures by W. Farmer, a London artist.

The chapel suffered damage during World War II: its wooden arrow, laid before 1939, was destroyed on April 1, 1942. Classified Historic Monument by order of 5 March 1990, it includes in its protection its enclosure and fence. Today, the site remains a major architectural and spiritual testimony of Boulogne-sur-Mer, managed by an association.

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