St. Louis Church, Rochefort, Neoclassical church in Rochefort, France.
St. Louis Church is a Neoclassical church on rue Audry-de-Puyravault in Rochefort, built 1836–1838 to plans by city architect Félix Garde, who kept only the old bell tower. Its pale stone front has a portico of four fluted Corinthian columns under a triangular pediment with an inscribed frieze. Inside, a basilical plan of three vessels and five bays is covered by a barrel vault lit by penetrative half-moons, with arcades on Ionic pilasters and mid-19th-century polychrome decoration.
The parish title passed in 1791 to the former Capuchin chapel, which was in poor condition and had to be shored up in 1830. It was rebuilt between 1836 and 1838 to plans by city architect Félix Garde, keeping only the bell tower. The church was listed as a monument historique on 22 June 1987.
The parish was transferred here in 1791 to the former Capuchin chapel, and the present church was rebuilt in 1836-38 keeping only the bell tower. The name Saint-Louis recalls the 1686 dedication of the castle chapel. The Saint-Louis chapel holds the tomb of Michel Bégon, intendant of the navy and "father" of the begonias, with the epitaph: "Hanc nascentem urbem ligneam invenit, lapideam reliquit".
The church stands on rue Audry-de-Puyravault, its Corinthian portico facing the street; the entrance is through the green door behind the columns. The chevet was extended to the bell tower in 1864, so the nave now runs five bays to the tower. The building is inscribed as a monument historique since 22 June 1987.
The church keeps only the bell tower of the Capuchin chapel it replaced: rebuilt in 1836-1838 by city architect Félix Garde, it absorbed the old sacristy in 1864 when the chevet wall was pushed back to the tower. The Saint-Louis chapel holds the tomb of Michel Bégon, intendant of the navy and "father" of begonias, whose epitaph reads "Hanc nascentem urbem ligneam invenit, lapideam reliquit".
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