église Saint-Vincent-Saint-Germain

English translation

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History

The parish church of Saint-Vincent-Saint-Germain of Saint-Germain-lès-Corbeil replaces a previous building dating perhaps from the 6th century. It was built according to a scheme characteristic of the second generation of early Gothic art and can be dated to the years 1170-1180, by comparison in particular with the church of Saint-Martin of Etampes. The four stained glass windows of the chevet were probably executed in the years 1220-25. They are dedicated to the Passion, to the martyrdom of saints, to the tree of Jesse and to the life of saint Germain. They were classified as moveable objects by order of 22 June 1908. The porch which preceded the western portal was demolished at the end of the 18th century and the bell tower which was set against the first bay of the choir, to the north, collapsed in 1793 damaging the vaults of the north aisle. Major works were carried out thanks to the financing of the Darblay family in the second half of the 19th century: in 1862, reconstruction by Parisian architect Dussillon of the upper part of the western facade, adorned with statues by sculptor Elias Robert and reconstruction of part of the vaults of the north aisle; in 1872 or 1878, construction of the large entrance vestibule and installation of the organ; in 1895-96, complete restoration and refurbishment in neo-Gothic style of the building, according to the project of abbé Brisacier, archaeologist and architect, implemented by engineer and architect Louis Vollant, son-in-law of the Darblay family. On this occasion, archaeological stained glass windows are executed by Julien Fournier in the north aisle and a monumental decoration, on the theme of the multiplication of loaves, is painted in the choir, on canvas marouflaged, by Alexis Douillard.

Description

The building measures approximately 30 metres long by 18 metres wide (excluding the sacristy). It is oriented and presents a simple, elongated plan, of basilical type, without transept and with a flat chevet. It is composed of three naves divided into five regular bays. The three western bays form the nave and the two eastern bays, the choir. The separation between the two spaces is marked by three steps giving access to the choir. The two aisles which flank on either side the central nave of the nave and choir are each terminated by a chapel: to the south, the chapel of the Virgin, to the north, the chapel of Saint-Joseph. The central nave is covered with quadripartite rib vaults whose keystones culminate at 17 metres from the paving. Its three-level elevation (great arcades, blind triforium and clerestory windows) presents differences in the nave and choir: false triforium with simple openings (nave) or triple openings (choir); piers with half-columns on a dosseret (nave, 2nd piers of the choir) or piers composed of half-columns and small columns enveloping the core (1st piers of the choir). At the centre of the western facade is a portal with a trilobed tympanum, whose archivolts are decorated with leaves, chevrons, buttons and diamond points.