SAINT-LOUIS CHURCH

Building representative of neoclassical architecture. Major element of Place Napoléon and the urban ensemble decided by Napoleon 1st.

Restoration work is planned from 2021 to 2029. They will concern the facades and the interior of the building.

The Saint-Louis church, listed as a historic monument in 1982, is one of the largest religious buildings in Vendée. Driven under the First Empire, its construction spanned from 1813 to 1829, well after the death of Napoleon. It replaces the Saint-Hilaire church, a place of worship mentioned in the XNUMXth century, the location, size and condition of which do not suit the importance of the new capital. Its location participates in the same way as the town hall, the imperial high school or the courthouse, in this civic peace initiative desired by Napoleon.

With its plan inspired by Roman basilicas, its antique decor and its furniture (confessionals, pulpit, etc.) designed by the Ponts et Chaussées, the building fits perfectly into the neoclassical style that prevailed in the construction of the city . Its vault painted in trompe-l'oeil, its stained glass windows and its furniture (Stations of the Cross, altar, war memorial, organs, etc.) are indicative of the evolution of the liturgical arts of the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. It houses in particular a Madonna and Child, a polychrome statue from the XNUMXth century representing Notre-Dame de La Roche.

• Self-guided group tour
• Individual free visit

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