Église Saint-Alban de Lormes, Church building in Lormes, France
The église Saint-Alban de Lormes is a Romanesque Revival church standing on a hill above the town of Lormes in central France. Its stone walls, rounded arches, and small windows give the building a heavy, grounded look that draws the eye from below.
A church existed here before the 10th century as Ecclésia de Ulma and was rebuilt in the early 12th century; it was painted by Corot and turned into a Temple of Reason during the Revolution. It was demolished on 7 January 1865, and the present Neo-Romanesque church was built from 1865 to 1867 by architects Pierre Hyppolyte Paillard and Lutz of Nevers, using stone from the Manse quarry. It has been a listed monument historique since 8 August 1997.
The church keeps the name of Saint Alban, and its predecessor hosted a Confraternity of the Body of God; after the town's deliverance in 1591 a procession with indulgences was held there on the Tuesdays of Easter, exposing the Blessed Sacrament in all the town's chapels. The 1658 bell, recast in 1737, was sponsored by Louis de Mascrany, count of Château-Chinon and baron of Lormes.
The church sits on a hill, so expect a short uphill walk if you arrive on foot, though the road around it allows vehicles to park nearby. The area around the building is open and easy to move through, making a slow visit comfortable for most people.
The old church was painted by Corot before its demolition on 7 January 1865. The present neo-Romanesque church, built from 1865 to 1867, has a 40-metre slate spire housing three bells: Octave-Charlotte Thérèse (1,700 kg), Edmée-Adèle (1,200 kg) and Henriette Marie-Fernande (900 kg). The tower also carries Orange and SFR mobile-phone antennas.
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