Chapelle Notre-Dame de Lourdes

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

History

The small chapel of Saulty was constructed shortly before 1880, according to the plans of the Arras-based architect Alexandre Grigny, after his death. It was blessed on 12 September 1880. Its proportions are monumental and recall modern architecture, while its luxuriant decoration evokes gothic style. Notre-Dame de Lourdes is similar to numerous votive chapels erected in an eclectic style representative of the end of the 19th century. However, its late dating does not allow it to be considered a particularly remarkable building for the history of architecture. It presents a simple quadrangular plan, of a single elevation level, crowned with a polygonal dome and a lantern. The very rich sculptural decoration includes cornices, pinnacles, gables, composite colonnettes, four neo-gothic gargoyles, a corbel sculpted in the shape of a leonine monster. The lateral façades are identical, with two openings with two lancets and a rose window beneath a triangular tympanum higher than the roof, two buttresses with median setback either side of the windows. The octagonal vault overhanging the main space is ribbed and comprises returns on pendentives by means of corbels. A large round arch opens onto the choir; the chevet in hemicycle, blind and covered with a ribbed half-dome, rests on colonnettes set in the wall, with foliage capitals; two niches either side of a larger niche accommodate the altar. The chapel was restored between 1990 and 1995. Since 1990, a mass has been celebrated on Ascension Day in front of the chapel, before the departure in procession of the pilgrims.