Notre-Dame de Bon-Port, Catholic church near Loire River in Nantes, France.
Notre-Dame de Bon-Port is a church in Nantes rising near the Loire River, showcasing classical architecture with two distinct stylistic approaches. The facade combines Doric columns on the ground floor with Corinthian columns on the upper level, crowned by a central dome that lets natural light flood the interior through large windows.
The parish of Notre-Dame de Chézine, created from Saint-Nicolas, first had a modest church built in 1827 on Place Eugène-Livet. Judged too small and already dilapidated, it was demolished in 1843 and replaced on the site of the former Sanitat hospice. Architects Saint-Félix Seheult and Joseph-Fleury Chenantais designed the new church from 1845; it was inaugurated in 1858 and listed as a monument historique on 29 October 1975.
The church is also called Saint-Louis, after Louis-Hyacinthe Levesque, mayor of Nantes and donor of the 1827 church, who wanted it named for his patron saint. The 1913 statue of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Port on the front left pillar carries three maritime symbols: a star for faith, an anchor for hope and a ring for charity.
The church is open to visitors throughout the week and holds regular masses welcoming both worshippers and those interested in viewing the space. It helps to check service times ahead of your visit, as schedules can vary depending on the season.
The grand organ was built in 1891 by Nantes organ maker Louis Debierre, a pupil of Cavaillé-Coll, who funded additions himself, including the tribune on four columns. Its instrumental part was listed as a monument historique on 11 December 1975, the buffet in 2014. It marked the return of mutation stops recalling 17th- and 18th-century instruments.
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