Ancienne chapelle Saint-Aignan, Romanesque chapel in Île de la Cité, France
The former Saint-Aignan Chapel is a small Romanesque building located on the Île de la Cité in Paris. It contains three bays separated by rounded arches, with one section serving as the choir and two forming the main interior space.
The chapel was founded around 1116 by Etienne de Garlande, a church leader who also served as chancellor to King Louis VI. It was built to serve two canons living under a monastic rule and was part of the island's many religious establishments.
This chapel is one of the few religious buildings that survives from when the Île de la Cité held many churches close together. It shows how densely packed the island was with places of worship during the Middle Ages.
The building is normally closed but opens to visitors during the annual Heritage Days celebration. You can find the entrance between Rue des Ursins and Rue Chanoinesse in the fourth arrondissement.
During the French Revolution, the chapel served as a hidden location where priests who refused the government oath could secretly hold religious services. This secret role reveals how places of worship became refuges during dangerous times.
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