In 974, Count Manasses III de Coligny made a donation to Mayeul, 4th abbot of Cluny, and Chatel belonged to the Benedictine monks of Gigny, who established a priory there in the 10th century. The historical importance of the church of Saint Etienne de Gizia stems from the fact that for centuries it was the mother parish of numerous surrounding communes in the Jura and Bresse regions, including Cousance, Digna, Cuisia and Dommartin or Frontenaud,
The 17th century saw the decline of Saint Etienne, but the arrival of nuns in 1850 gave Chatel a new lease of life. The commune of Gizia, which in the meantime had built a 2nd, more accessible church in 1828, was delighted to see Saint Etienne de Chatel once again maintained, but only for a short time.
This church was undoubtedly the first Christian church in the whole region. When a missionary passed through, a large fire was lit to announce the celebrations, and the surrounding population climbed the hill to get to the church.
Listed as a Monument Historique, Saint Etienne is only 30 km from the Cluniac abbey of Baume-les-Messieurs.
Church of Saint-Etienne de Chatel
GIZIA
Descriptif
Opening
- Lundi : Fermé
- Mardi : Fermé
- Mercredi : Fermé
- Jeudi : Fermé
- Vendredi : Fermé
- Samedi : Fermé
- Dimanche : Fermé