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Église Saint Quiriace (The
Saint Quiriace Church)
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According to the first
official text "the Privilege of Richer", gone back to 1062, the
Count Eudes has created the "Collegiale Saint Quiriace" between
1019 and 1032.
When "Henri le Liberal" became the Count, in
1157, in order to the religious canons of Saint Quiriace, the
church was too small and presented disadvantages. |
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In 1161, "Henri le Liberal" multiplies his gifts. In 1176, he
exempted them tax and granted them the collect of taxes, the
grounds, the whole villages, the serfs... The works of the new
building was carried out quickly until the main pillar which has
separated the sanctuary from the choir.
The choir was set up, its width is proportional to the number of
canons envisaged, who should have been of one hundred, but it was
never true... they were only forty.
The death of Henri le Liberal would occur in 1181. The started
parts were finished and the choir being sheltered, so the funeral
were celebrated there.
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The Choir of Saint Quiriace
Church |
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It is a single case of
ambulatory in square
but of choir in hemicycle, which brought complications in the
ordinance of the vaults.
According to the method of construction, the pillar are
assembled on the level of the departure of the vaults and one
proceeds then to the installation of the wood frame, in order to
protect the very slow vaults to dry which are installed then.
The vault of the choir, "octopartite ribbed vault", is
installed. This shape of vault only exists in the surroundings,
in "Voulton" and "Ferrière-en-Brie" villages.
The tribune which runs around the choir and of the sanctuary was
open on the roofs.
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Vault of the sanctuary |
Tribune - Chorus of the
church |
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The walls of the
transept will be assembled. According to practices' of the
manufacturers, one will start at the same time, the
bell-tower-porch with the place of the cloister.
It was planned for this imposing imagined nave, a length of
8 spans, but 6 were never born.
On the 16th century, one would be solved to close the nave
definitively, by installing a frontage which will poverty
complete work undertaken. This pinion would be decorated
with carved stones and an immense window which would be open
in the tympanum where a statue would be installed. The nave
will be covered with slate. A statue of Saint Helene will
crown this pinion.
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External sight of the southern transept |
Ambulatory |
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In 1625, by
precaution, the two immense windows would be
walled on the frontage (current state).
In 1662, the high parts were burnt down to the ground
because of a workman.
Work of restoration was undertaken straightaway and have
been continued two years. All was remake like before the
fire, except the great intersecting of ogive arches
which would be replaced by a slate covered dome
according to the fashion in vogue.
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From 1760, a large
work campaign would kept up this church to the times
without being a fortunate restoration. Indeed, the
ground made unequal, because of tombs, levelled and
tiled, the old stained glasses considered to be too dark
would be destroyed to gain a brightest light.
The altar and the stalls of style Louis XV would be
installed to replace those of the Middle-Ages considered
to be too decayed.
In 1773, the dome falling into ruin was restored.
With the French Revolution, it would be the death of
this collegial.
In 1836, the dome and the lantern requiring a
rebuilding, they would be restored made out zinc.
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Altar and stalls Louis
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The current
dome was restored in the Fifties, made out zinc,
after the friendship bombardments during the release
of Provins.
From the books:
"Provins, les monuments religieux" / Marquise de
Maillé; Chartres: Jacques Laget: Librairie des arts
et métiers, 1975.
More
about the "Saint Quiriace church" |
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