Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer, located in Blois (Loir-et-Cher), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.5842, 1.3314
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00098343
A former Benedictine abbey in the heart of Blois, the church of Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer has been displaying its elegant Romanesque and Gothic arcades since the 12th century, a rare example of preserved medieval architecture on the banks of the Loire.
© Wikimedia Commons / Wikipedia
History
In the heart of old Blois, not far from the royal chateau, the church of Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer stands out as one of the finest expressions of medieval religious architecture in the Loire Valley. Founded by Benedictine monks fleeing the ravages of Normandy, this abbey church has survived over a thousand years of French history without ever losing its quiet majesty. Its silhouette, dominated by sober towers and a harmonious chevet, bears witness to construction spread over almost a century, between 1138 and 1230, a period during which the Romanesque and emerging Gothic styles overlapped. What makes the building truly unique is precisely this stylistic layering: stone by stone, we can see the evolution of the medieval building site, from the first Romanesque foundations to the ribbed vaults that heralded the Blois Gothic style. The nave, with its generous proportions, exudes a filtered light that gives the space a serenity conducive to contemplation. The ambulatory choir, with its radiating chapels, is reminiscent of the great Benedictine abbeys of the Loire Valley. A visit to Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer is also a journey through the layers of national history: the marks of the fortifications erected in 1356 in the face of the English threat, the scars of the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, the rose window rebuilt in 1661 - so many wounds and healings that make up a living architectural narrative. The building bears the memory of France's great crises on its walls, making it much more than just a place of worship. Attentive visitors will appreciate the contrast between the severity of the exterior - reinforced by the defensive work carried out in the 14th century - and the richness of the interior of the nave and choir. Photographs and sketches are a must when looking at the chevet, which is particularly striking from the banks of the Loire or the alleys of the Saint-Nicolas district. Allow a good hour for an in-depth visit, and even more for fans of Romanesque and Gothic art.
Architecture
The church of Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer has a Latin cross plan typical of the great Benedictine abbeys, with a nave with side aisles, a projecting transept and a choir with an ambulatory flanked by radiating chapels - an arrangement that favoured the movement of pilgrims around the relics of Saint Lomer. Construction, which took place between 1138 and 1230, can be clearly seen in the elevation: the lower sections of the nave still retain the rigour of the Ligerian Romanesque style, with its massive pillars, semi-circular arches and sober modenature, while the upper sections of the choir adopt the ribbed vaults of the early Gothic style, which are brighter and more slender. Outside, the chevet is the most remarkable part of the building, with its tiered apsidal chapels, its ambulatory crowned by slender buttresses and its pointed-arch windows. The west facade, altered after the destruction caused by the Wars of Religion, features a rose window dating from 1661, whose finely-worked limestone latticework lets golden light filter through to the entrance bay. Fortification work carried out in 1356 left its mark on the gutter walls, where we can still make out the window seals and masonry reinforcements typical of medieval defensive architecture. Inside, the atmosphere is that of the great medieval naves of the Loire: white tufa stone, measured proportions, oblique light gliding along the engaged columns. The choir's ambulatory, with its radiating chapels whose keystones still bear some traces of polychrome, is the most moving part of the building. The sculpted capitals on the nave pillars - stylised foliage, Romanesque interlacing, fantastical figures - represent an iconographic programme of remarkable quality for a 12th-century provincial abbey.
Related Figures
Moines bénédictins de Corbion — fondateurs de l'abbaye à Blois en 873, porteurs des reliques de saint LomerSaint Lomer (Laudomarus) — abbé du VIe siècle dont les reliques sacrées donnèrent son nom à l'abbaye et en firent un lieu de pèlerinageComtes de Blois (XIe-XIIe siècle) — mécènes qui financèrent la reconstruction de l'abbatiale à partir de 1138Abbés du XIIe siècle — maîtres d'ouvrage du grand chantier gothique qui transforma l'abbaye entre 1138 et 1230Thibaut V de Blois — comte de Blois réputé pour sa piété et sa générosité envers les établissements religieux de sa cité
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer located?
Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer is located in Blois, Loir-et-Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer built?
Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer is currently closed to visitors.