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The church of St-Nicolas in Blois sits on
the site of what was the former abbey-church of an abbey
complex founded
in the 9th century by
a group of Benedictine monks
fleeing the Normans and carrying the relics of
their founder, St-Laumer to whom the church was
originally dedicated to.
During the
12th century the monks built the choir, the
transept and the first row of columns of the new
abbey-church, completing it at the beginning of the next
century.
Sadly the abbey was destroyed during the War
of Religion with the church surviving but with some major
damage. It would be the 17th century
before it would be restored to its former glory.
Inside the church you might notice that there is a
mix of styles due to the long period of its completion which
started during the Romanesque period of church design and
ended in the early Gothic. The architect of Saint-Laumer was
one of the first to use flying arches allowing for the
opening of large windows under vaulted ceilings, unusual at
the time of construction.
The main high altar of the church was
originally in the
Collegiate Church of St. Savior a 12th century church built
in the front courtyard of the Château which was destroyed in
1793. It was restored and installed here in 1834.
To the side of the main altar sits the Altar
of the Sacred Heart, made in a neo-Gothic style in stone
from 1881
The area of the city of Blois,by the Loire river, where the
church stands, was heavily bombed during WWII but
miraculously the church survived with only the stained glass
windows being casualties. These were replaced in the 1950's
by the current windows the design of which are heavily
influenced by the contemporary designs of Max Ingrand.
The church is well worth a visit along with the many other
fine monuments of this fine city.
Where's Joan?
She's here in the form of a statue by C.Debert from 1929.
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