Eglise de Turqueville
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise de Turqueville, located in Turqueville (Manche), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Turqueville, Manche, Normandie
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 49.4078, -1.2791
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00110388
In the heart of the Cotentin region, Turqueville church boasts a rare cycle of 14th-century apocalyptic murals, rediscovered in 2008, and a Gothic bell tower with an exceptional crown.
History
Tucked away in the Normandy bocage of the Manche department, Turqueville church is one of those discreet monuments that hold surprises of unsuspected richness in store for the attentive visitor. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2010, it combines several centuries of Norman medieval architecture, from the late Romanesque to the flamboyant Gothic, forming a palimpsest of stonework that can be deciphered as the visit unfolds. What really sets Turqueville apart from the countless rural churches on the Cotentin peninsula is the spectacular discovery made in 2008 when the choir was being restored: a cycle of wall paintings devoted to the Apocalypse, hidden under layers of plaster for centuries. These frescoes, probably executed in the 14th century, are an exceptional example of medieval religious painting in Normandy, an art form where examples preserved in situ are rare. The visit takes place in an almost sacred silence, conducive to contemplation. You take your time to appreciate the architectural progression of the building, from the Romanesque choir at the end of the 12th century to the Gothic chapels added in the following century, not forgetting the square bell tower that dominates the transept with Norman elegance. The interior space, modest in size but well-proportioned, reveals the constructive logic of the medieval builders with a rare educational clarity. The church is set in the green, hedged landscape of central Manche, a few kilometres from Sainte-Mère-Église, in a region where medieval history and the memory of the 1944 landings are strikingly superimposed. A monument that is both intimate and deeply revealing of Normandy's rural heritage.
Architecture
Turqueville church has a simple Latin cross plan, typical of 13th-century Norman parish architecture, with a two-bay nave extended by a transept and a two-bay chancel. The side chapels, added in the 14th century, give the whole a slightly wider feel and add a welcome complexity to the building's external silhouette. The light-coloured local limestone is the dominant material on the elevations, giving the whole a luminous patina typical of the Cotentin region. The square bell tower, raised above the transept crossing, is the most spectacular feature of the exterior. Its crown - described in the Mérimée note as "remarkable" - probably features pinnacles or blind arches typical of Norman Gothic, giving it a slender silhouette that dominates the surrounding bocage. The crosspieces of the transept, rebuilt in the 14th century, show traces of this stylistic evolution towards a more ornamental Gothic style. Inside, the transition between the different construction periods can be seen in the modelling of the arches, the profiles of the pillars and the vaulting systems. The murals in the choir, revealed in 2008, play a central role in the interior experience of the building. Organised into narrative registers in the medieval tradition, they depict scenes from the Apocalypse in a palette of colours - ochres, reds and whites - typical of 14th-century Norman Gothic mural painting. The alterations and modifications to the north piers, carried out in the early 16th century, testify to the ability of local craftsmen to skilfully integrate structural alterations into a pre-existing building.
Related Figures
Maîtres maçons normands du XIIe-XIIIe siècle (bâtisseurs anonymes du chœur et de la nef)Peintres muraux du XIVe siècle (auteurs anonymes du cycle apocalyptique)Artisans du début du XVIe siècle (revoûtement et consolidation des piles nord)Inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (procédure de classement de 2010)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise de Turqueville located?
Eglise de Turqueville is located in Turqueville, Manche department, Normandie region, France.
When was Eglise de Turqueville built?
Eglise de Turqueville dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise de Turqueville open to visitors?
Eglise de Turqueville is currently closed to visitors.