Church of St. Francis (Eglise St. Francis) description and photos - Switzerland: Lausanne (Topic)

Church of St. Francis (Eglise St. Francis) description and photos - Switzerland: Lausanne. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Eglise St. Francois.

Photo and description

In the heart of Lausanne, on the always lively St. Francis Square, not far from the shopping arcade, there is a church dedicated to St. Francis. It was erected by monks from the Franciscan order on the territory of their monastery. The appearance of the church is dated to 1272. Then the monastery was located at the southern city wall.

Unfortunately, very few interior elements of that time have survived to this day. Now this church is Protestant, and adherents of this religion do not welcome the decoration of places intended for prayer and communication with God. In the Middle Ages, the temple was the center of the monastery complex, reliably sheltered outside the city walls.

In 1368, the whole city was engulfed in fire, and the sad fate did not escape the church and the monastery. However, the damage was not fatal and the building was rebuilt in a short period of time. Some well-to-do families provided donations for the restoration of the frescoes and the chapel. At the same time, a new extension in the form of a clock tower appeared near the church.

Today, only the church remains - the monastery was closed by reformers. The monastery church has become the parish church of the Lower City and is devoid of almost all decorations. In 1664, John Lyle, a fugitive judge who sent the English king Charles I to execution, was killed here. Supporters of the late monarch dealt with him.

Later, the monastery buildings were gradually destroyed. The remains of the ruins were removed at the end of the 19th century.

A distinctive feature of the interior of the church is the construction of its vaults - the columns divide the nave into five sectors. Suppose

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Topic: Church of St. Francis (Eglise St. Francis) description and photos - Switzerland: Lausanne.