Guided tour of the church of Sainte Marie des Batignolles - History of "Batignolles-Monceaux" - The different stages of the construction of the church, from 1826 to 1851. Explanation of architecture, furniture, symbols, stained glass windows, statues - Architects and artists - Why Messager, Verlaine or Zola frequented Sainte Marie des Batignolles. Around 1800, there were only a few hundred inhabitants in this territory that depended on Clichy. From 1820, many investors bought land, built, built and sold houses to Parisians who fled the high rents and the dirty air of the capital. To meet the needs of the growing population (4,000 inhabitants in 1824) Dr Lemercier launched a subscription to build a chapel. The amount being insufficient to build the large and beautiful projected church, the architect Molinos son first built the nave with its peristyle (the four columns). This first chapel was consecrated on October 4, 1829 by Bishop de Quelen, Archbishop of Paris. In 1830, the commune of «Batignolles-Monceaux» became autonomous, and in 1831, the chapel became a parish church. The population continued to grow, and in 1841 the architect Lequeux enlarged the church by adding the choir with the large statue of Mary rising to Heaven and the two side chapels. In 1851, still to satisfy the growing population (40,000 inhabitants), the church is still enlarged and takes its current form with the addition of aisles.
Stained glass windows by Emile Hirsch and Emile Thibaud. Many statues of saints or Marie Chaire carved rich in symbols.