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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Madeleine church, located in Verneuil-sur-Avre in the Eure, is an emblematic religious building in the Normandy region. Its 56-metre-high tower, visible miles away, became the symbol of the city. Ranked as historic monuments in 1862, it bears witness to a rich architecture and a history linked to the urban development of Verneuil.

The building of the church began in the early 12th century, in conjunction with the founding of the city. The tower, built at the end of the 15th century, experienced a 30-year construction interruption due to a lack of funding. It was finally completed around 1525 thanks to the generosity of Artus Fillon, bishop of Senlis and native of Verneuil. Its carved decoration, of great richness, is often compared to that of the Tour de Beurre de Rouen or the tower-lantern of the Saint-Ouen Abbey.

The interior of the church houses remarkable furniture, including a large organ built in 1778 by the Rouennais factor Jean-Baptiste Lefebvre. A 16th-century Polychrome Tombing, along with a cenotaph made by David of Angers in 1826, commemorate local historical figures such as Louis of Froutté and his companions shot in 1800. A statue of Joan of Arc, added in 1944, also recalls the parish's attachment to national history.

The church, owned by the commune, remains a place of memory and worship, open to the visit. Its architecture and furniture make it a major witness to Norman religious and artistic heritage, from the 12th and 16th centuries to the contemporary era.

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