St. Aignan Church, Chartres, France

Saint Aignan Church was originally built around year 400, in the era of pre-Romanesque, by the bishop of Chartres - later his name has given as the name of the church. The church is considered as the most ancient parishes in Chartres. In its history, the church has suffered from several times fire in 12th, 13th and in the early 16th century. Most of the church was rebuilt after the latest misfortune in the 16th century.

The main portal in the center of the front facade was the only part of the church that preserved for the new church. The church also suffered several times of change function during the French Revolution - it was once served as a military hospital, then once became a prison and even as a fodder shop. It finally returned as a worship place in 1822.

References:

Discover Chartres

Religious sites in France

User Reviews

Taku KURIBAYASHI (9 months ago)
I loved this place, perhaps more than the cathedral

Jakub (9 months ago)
Beautiful church and Traditional Latin Mass. Photos taken on Pentecost Sunday AD 2022

Linh Nguyen (2 years ago)
Pitty that i came here on a day it closes. But i love the ancien look of it from the outside. Really look like from a movie ?☀️

Philippe Bun (2 years ago)
Hidden gem, few blocks away from the main cathedral. Very interesting architectural design. Colorful stained glasses. Come early in the morning to enjoy the peaceful scenery.

Alan C (AlanC-LAUK) (4 years ago)
Free entry, a large church that’s most interesting inside, I would say it is more interesting than the cathedral because you have close views of the stained glass windows and the interior stonework and roof are all painted. In need of restoration work.

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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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