I have made several trips to this town mostly on business but eventually got around to be with the family for a bit, However, found these pictures in my cd rom vault and they should be in my blog for you and me, This is nice chic Neuilly-sur-Seine in the Hauts de Seine dept 92 of the Île de France region of my belle France , This was one of my typical runs to/from Paris almost every month, I like to tell you a bit more on the Church Saint Pierre of Neuilly sur Seine !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The parish Church Saint-Pierre, located at 90 Avenue du Roule (Avenue Achille-Peretti), was built between 1883 and 1914.The church remains unfinished because the exterior sculpted decoration was never finalized, with the exception of that of the porch and the side portals after 1945. There is a nice outdoor statue of Joan of Arc acquired in 1903, then installed at the bottom of the main staircase of the City Hall, It was inaugurated in the square located in front of the church on Sunday, May 7, 1905.
The Saint-Pierre Church features three types of stained glass: historiated windows, like the one in the Chapel of the Virgin; stained glass windows depicting a figure, predominantly orange-red-garnet; and the stained glass windows in the axial chapel, predominantly yellow, centered on the theme of angels. The sculptors drew inspiration from the bestiary of this medieval art, creating heads of men and women, as well as devils, animals, and angels. Some examples are given below. The doors leading to the choir are all surmounted by a beautiful fresco. They depict the Heavenly Father, the animals of the evangelists, and an angel. The animals are also depicted with wings.
The great organ in the gallery of the Church Saint-Pierre was completely restored in 2007. This jewel by the renowned organ builder Aristide Cavaille Coll, originally inaugurated in 1900, is, from a musical point of view, a so-called “symphonic” instrument corresponding to the tastes of the Romantic era (19C). It allows the performance of the entire repertoire written for organ. This instrument is also the most important in the Hauts-de-Seine department 92. It naturally supports religious and cultural dimensions, as well as educational ones. The renovated organ of Saint-Pierre dates from the early 20C. It is surrounded by superb neo-Romanesque architecture featuring half-columns, capitals, and corbels.
To meet the needs of a rapidly growing population, Cardinal Guibert commissioned Father Normand, parish priest of Neuilly since 1875, to build a new church. It was thanks to a donation from Mrs. Balsan, supplemented by a sale, that land was found at the Inkermann roundabout; the church would bear the surname of her husband, Pierre. The project was adopted in 1883. The blessing of the foundation stone took place on October 30, 1887. By the beginning of 1890, the first phase (apse, choir, and transepts) was completed. In 1894, the second phase (nave and crypt) could begin. The bell tower was completed in 1895, and on July 5, 1896, Cardinal Richard de Lavergne blessed the church. The following year, Saint Pierre became a parish church, with Saint. John the Baptist being relegated to the status of a simple chapel (it would become a parish Church again in 1910), It was not until 1914 that the outbuildings, with the two chapels, the “upper” and “lower,” on Boulevard Jean Mermoz, were completed. On June 6, 1922, the church was consecrated by Cardinal Dubois. Finally, to complete the exterior decoration, students of Georges Saupique executed the sculptures for the central porch and side portals starting in 1945.
The official parish of the Church St Pierre : https://www.saint-pierre-neuilly.com/eglise-saint-pierre/
The City of Neuilly sur Seine on the church : https://www.neuillysurseine.fr/page/eglise-st-pierre
The Hauts de Seine dept 92 tourist office on Neuilly sur Seine :https://destination.hauts-de-seine.fr/promenade-urbaine-neuilly-sur-seine.html
There you go folks, an oasis of tranquility and class just bordering Paris, the off the beaten path, Neuilly sur Seine. Worth the detour me thinks ,and wonderful architecture and history such as this one, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Church Saint Pierre of Neuilly sur Seine !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 