Collegiate Church Saint-Sauveur of Grignan, Gothic church in Grignan, France
The Collegiate Church Saint-Sauveur is a Gothic place of worship built with a wide nave, octagonal choir, and ribbed vaults typical of southern French religious architecture. The building showcases decorative tracery windows and sits on the lower slopes of the village's fortified castle.
Construction of the church started in 1535 under Baron Adhémar and received papal consecration from Pope Paul III in 1539 as a collegiate institution. This early establishment reflected the importance of the region during the 16th century.
The church holds deep ties to the Sévigné family, whose members shaped the region's history and left lasting marks on local life. These connections give the place a distinctive role in understanding French literary circles of earlier centuries.
The church sits below the castle level and is reached via a carved doorway and flights of stairs built in the 1600s. The entrance route is straightforward, though the stone steps require careful footing when navigating downward.
The castle terrace serves as the roof of the church and features a balustrade that frames views across the village and surrounding lands. This architectural solution merges the two buildings in an unexpected way that most visitors discover only upon visiting the interior.
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