Church of Saint-Blaise
The Church of Saint-Blaise is located in Montaigu, in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Originally a single spanned church in the thirteenth century, an additional 4 spans were added in the 17th century, and with side chapels and vaulted arcades. Outside, the bell tower was built in 1685, replacing a very modest older tower, which was originally erected upon the choir. Note that the composer of the Marseillaise, Rouget de l'Isle grew up in this village.
About this building
The Saint-Blaise church is located in the center of the village of Montaigu, in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. It is dedicated to St. Blaise, a bishop martyr of Armenia who lived around the year 310. In the 13th century, the neighboring village of Chavenay submitted to the "Mount Aigu", an agreement between the Abbot of Baume and Count Etienne that allowed the Count to raise a castle, on condition that he also raised a church for the monks of the old priory of Chavenay. Thus Saint Blaise church, which was started in the thirteenth century and completed in the fourteenth century, replaced the church of Chavenay.
It seems to have been built on the rampart of the village, as evidenced by the loophole visible on the gable of the church. The church, with its single nave of five bays, has ribbed vaults with four-pointed keys. On the third span of the nave, between pre-existing buttresses, side chapels with vaulted sides were grafted in the seventeenth century. It was at the same time that the side windows were enlarged and raised to the vault and that the choir's flat chevet received a crucifix and two statues.
Outside, the bell tower was built in 1685, replacing a very old, modest tower, then erected on the choir to the east. Filled with high buttresses, it stands with uneven floors, highlighted by banners. The last level has semicircular bays or mullions of Gothic tradition. A round turret, rising in the church, extends to the base of the pentagonal steeple. Accessing the porch under the belfry, you may see the portal framed by two pairs of columns with capitals adorned with foliage or hooks. Surmounted by a bare tympanum, it is adorned with a trilobal arch and a broken voussure.
Note that the composer of the Marseillaise, Rouget de l'Isle grew up in this village.
