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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Église Notre-Dame-sur-l'Eau ou Notre-Dame-sous-l'Eau

Domfront, Orne, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, classified (classé)
Protection
classé MH
Extent of protection
L'église : classement par liste de 1840
Protection dates
1840 : classé MH
Type
église
Main period of construction
11e siècle
Ownership
propriété de la commune
Commune
Domfront
Département
Orne
Region
Normandie
Country
France
Coordinates
48.59056, -0.65765
Mérimée reference
PA00110792

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 1706 map "L'Evesche du Mans (northwest sheet)." (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

L'église fut bâtie au 11e siècle par le fondateur du château. Elle constituait un type parfait de l'architecture romane secondaire. Au cours des siècles, l'édifice subit de nombreuses restaurations. En 1836, l'église fut mutilée lors de l'ouverture de la route de Domfront à Mortain. L'abside et les chapelles du transept sont seules intactes. Avant sa destruction, la tour carrée (remaniée au 12e siècle) s'élevait au centre de la croix, entre la nef et le choeur. Vers 1826, la flèche octogonale en charpente qui couronnait la tour, a été remplacée par une pyramide quadrangulaire. La façade était ouverte par un grand portail roman avec six colonnes à chapiteaux. Le transept est la partie la plus caractéristique de l'édifice, avec des piliers carolingiens. L'église, appelée Notre-Dame-sous-l'Eau sur la liste de 1840 et le J.O. du 18 avril 1914, est nommée Notre-Dame-sur-l'Eau sur les plans de Ruprich-Robert.

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

The church was built in the 11th century by the founder of the castle. It constituted a perfect type of secondary Romanesque architecture. Over the centuries, the building underwent numerous restorations. In 1836, the church was mutilated during the opening of the road from Domfront to Mortain. The chevet and the transept chapels alone remain intact. Before its destruction, the square tower (remodelled in the 12th century) stood at the centre of the cross, between the nave and the choir. Around 1826, the octagonal wooden spire that crowned the tower was replaced by a quadrangular pyramid. The façade was opened by a large Romanesque portal with six columns with capitals. The transept is the most characteristic part of the building, with Carolingian pillars. The church, called Notre-Dame-sous-l'Eau on the 1840 list and the J.O. of 18 April 1914, is named Notre-Dame-sur-l'Eau on Ruprich-Robert's plans.

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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