Église Sainte-Barbe de Crusnes, Metal church in Crusnes, France
Église Sainte-Barbe de Crusnes is a metal church built without bolts, featuring steel frames and painted sheet metal walls throughout. The construction demonstrates an innovative approach to lightweight metal architecture for a religious building.
The De Wendel family commissioned this church in 1937 for their ironmine workers, mostly from Poland and Italy. The project was completed in just ten months, demonstrating rapid construction methods of that era.
The stained glass shows Saint Barbara protecting miners, firefighters, and soldiers based on Delaroche's design. This artwork by Mauméjean connects the patron saint of miners to the workers of the ironworks.
The building underwent major restoration in 1997 to address corrosion issues affecting the facade and stained glass. Visitors should know that metal churches require specialized maintenance and regular inspections to remain in good condition.
Ferdinand Fillod designed this building as a prototype for mass production, intending it to be assembled by unskilled workers. The concept was meant to be exported worldwide, making this church an experimental architectural project that challenged construction conventions.
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