Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste du Loroux-Bottereau, Classified historical monument and church in Le Loroux-Bottereau, France
The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste du Loroux-Bottereau is a neo-Gothic church in the center of Le Loroux-Bottereau, in the Pays de la Loire region, listed as a historical monument. It features a tall bell tower and houses Romanesque wall paintings from the 12th century.
A first church stood on this site as early as the 11th or 12th century, but it was burned down in 1794 during the Vendée conflict. The current building was constructed between 1858 and 1870 to the designs of architect Henry Faucheur, replacing an earlier structure that had become too small.
The church faces the main square of Le Loroux-Bottereau, where a statue of Louis XVI stands nearby. Locals gather here for masses, weddings, and baptisms, and the square in front often hosts markets and seasonal celebrations.
The church stands right on the main square of Le Loroux-Bottereau and is easy to reach on foot from the village center. It is worth checking in advance whether the interior is open, as access may vary depending on the time of year.
The Romanesque wall paintings found inside date from around 1170-1180 and were discovered by chance in 1822 in a small chapel that no longer exists. They depict scenes from the life of Saint Gilles, including a moment where a king asks the saint for forgiveness, and they predate the current building by several centuries.
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