Sainte Jeanne d'Arc, Nice

Church of Saint Joan of Arc
Sainte Jeanne d'Arc  (French)

Façade of the church
Basic information
Location Nice, France
Geographic coordinates 43°42′48.28″N 7°15′45.36″E / 43.7134111°N 7.2626000°E / 43.7134111; 7.2626000Coordinates: 43°42′48.28″N 7°15′45.36″E / 43.7134111°N 7.2626000°E / 43.7134111; 7.2626000
Affiliation Roman Catholic
District Diocese of Nice
Province Archdiocese of Marseille
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Parish church
Heritage designation 1992
Leadership P. Guy Largillière[1]
Website nice.cef.fr
Architectural description
Architect(s) Louis Castel, Jacques Droz
Architectural type Church
Architectural style Art deco
Groundbreaking 1914 (1914) (crypt)
Completed 1934[2]
Specifications
Length 59 m (194 ft)[2]
Width 43 m (141 ft)[2]
Height (max)

Nave: 25 m (82 ft)[2]

Steeple: 64 m (210 ft)[2]
Materials Reinforced concrete
Official name: Église Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc
Designated 12 June 1992
Reference no. PA00080940[3]
Denomination Église

The Church of Saint Joan of Arc (French: Sainte Jeanne d'Arc) is a Roman Catholic parish church located in Nice, France. Noticeable for its original architecture, the church is dedicated to Joan of Arc.

The style of this church is controversial among the inhabitants of Nice, judged ugly by some. The church is sometime nicknamed "the Meringue" for its white color.

History

In 1914, Father Quillery was appointed parish priest of the new parish of Saint Jérome. The first projects for a new church are proposed. French architect Louis Castel initiated in 1914 its construction and built a crypt. After World War I, another French architect Jacques Droz constructed in 1924 a second crypt.[2] Both crypts are the support of the new building. In 1931 a concrete basement is laid over the two crypts.[2] Between 1932 and 1934, the church was built using reinforced concrete. Droz employed the technique of the thin shell concrete for the domes that have a thickness of 45 centimetres (18 in) at the base but only 8 centimetres (3.1 in) at the top.[2]

Architecture

The use of reinforced concrete, a new material at that time, allowed an original construction in a style influenced by Art Deco. Eight ellipsoidal domes support three larger ovoid domes. In the interior, these three large domes are only supported by four pillars, which allows an astonishing interior volume with 25 metres (82 ft) high vaults.[2] The angular form of the 64 metres (210 ft)[2] steeple is in opposition with the strong curves of the domes.

The 95 m2 (1,020 sq ft) fresco paintings of the stations of the Cross were executed by Eugène Klementieff in 1934.[2] The paintings are influenced by Russian Cubism, Italian Quattrocento and Byzantine Orthodox icons.[2]

References

Citations
  1. ↑ "Paroisse Saint-Jérôme" (in French). Diocèse de Nice. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Guide available in the church
  3. ↑ Mérimée database 1992
Bibliography

Media related to Église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc de Nice at Wikimedia Commons

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