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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Chapelle Saint-Gervais

Briouze, Orne, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, registered (inscrit)
Protection
inscrit MH
Extent of protection
Chapelle Saint-Gervais (cad. AI 67) : inscription par arrêté du 24 mars 1975
Protection dates
1975/03/24 : inscrit MH
Type
chapelle
Main period of construction
11e siècle, 15e siècle, 18e siècle
Dates
1093
Ownership
propriété de la commune
Commune
Briouze
Département
Orne
Region
Normandie
Country
France
Coordinates
48.70388, -0.36955
Mérimée reference
PA00110755

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1750 map "Composite 4: Carte de France." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

Bâtie entre 1080 et 1093 par Guillaume de Briouze, la chapelle avait la forme d'une croix latine. Des restaurations ont été réalisées aux 15e et 18e siècles. En 1866, la nef a été raccourcie jusqu'à hauteur du choeur, et les transepts abattus. En 1867, le portail roman fut remonté contre ce qui restait de l'édifice. Le portail est formé de quatre colonnes que surmontent des chapiteaux qui présentaient des personnages accroupis, une tête d'homme et une tête d'animal. Dans le tympan des reliefs effacés représentaient un personnage qui serait, selon la tradition, Guillaume le Conquérant. Au centre, sur une pierre calcaire, apparaissent trois personnages sans doute martelés, qui figureraient les saints martyrs Gervais et Protais entourant leur bourreau. £Une absidiole semi circulaire prolonge le choeur. Cinq arcades à plein cintre en font le tour. Des fresques anciennes pourraient orner les murs, cachées sous le badigeon.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Built between 1080 and 1093 by Guillaume de Briouze, the chapel had the form of a Latin cross. Restorations were carried out in the 15th and 18th centuries. In 1866, the nave was shortened to the height of the choir, and the transepts demolished. In 1867, the Romanesque portal was re-erected against what remained of the building. The portal is formed of four columns surmounted by capitals that presented crouching figures, a man's head and an animal's head. In the tympanum, faded reliefs represented a figure who would be, according to tradition, William the Conqueror. At the centre, on a limestone stone, appear three figures no doubt defaced, who would represent the holy martyrs Gervais and Protais surrounded by their executioner. A semicircular apsidiole extends the choir. Five round-arch arcades surround it. Old frescoes could adorn the walls, hidden under whitewash.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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