Reformed Church of Saint-Étienne, Moudon
The Reformed Church of Saint-Étienne (French: église réformée Saint-Étienne), also known as the Temple of Saint-Étienne (French: Temple de Saint-Étienne), is a Protestant church located in the municipality of Moudon, canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is a parish church of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud. It is listed as a heritage site of national significance.
| Reformed Church of Saint-Étienne | |
|---|---|
| Native name French: Église réformée Saint-Étienne | |
 | |
| Type | Parish church of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud |
| Location | Moudon, canton of Vaud, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°40′06″N 06°47′56″E |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic-inspired |
| Official name | Eglise réformée Saint-Etienne |
| Criteria | Class A |
| Reference no. | 6301 |
  Location of Reformed Church of Saint-Étienne in Switzerland  Reformed Church of Saint-Étienne, Moudon (Canton of Vaud) | |
History
The church of Saint-Étienne was first mentioned in 1134–1143, even though it may have been built earlier. It was situated outside the Medieval village and was the counterpart of the Chapelle Notre-Dame located on the hill.[1] The church was nicknamed "the cathedral of Broye", a region around the Broye river, by the residents of Moudon. It was modelled after the Gothic style.[2] After a bell tower was added in 1420, the church was enlarged and renovated between 1495 and 1499, then again between 1499 and 1502. Paintings were added to the vaults between 1506 and 1511.[3]
After the conquest by the canton of Bern in 1536, the side altars and the statues of the church were destroyed[4] and the building became a Reformed temple. The building was restored several times (mainly the interior) around 1563 (when a new stone communion table was added) and 1695 (new pulpit made of molasse). The organ and the current rostrums were installed in 1764.[5]
The church was listed among the Cultural Property of National Significance.[6]
- Photographs of the nave
![A photograph by Albert Naef [fr], 1912](../I/CH-ACV_AMH-C-0924.jpg.webp)
A photograph by Albert Naef, 1912
The nave
The vaults ahead of the choir
Paintings (detail)
- Photographs of the organ
From the choir
From the gallery
The keyboards
The stops
Decorative mouldings
A cherub
References
- Fontannaz, Monique (2006). La ville de Moudon. Les monuments d'art et d'histoire de la Suisse (in French). Vol. 107. Society for Art History in Switzerland. p. 122. ISBN 9783906131825.
- "Cloches - Moudon (VD) église réformée St Etienne". quasimodosonneurdecloches.bleublog.lematin.ch (in French). Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- "Historique". st-etienne-moudon.ch (in French). Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- Beerli, Conrad André (1953). Nicolas Manuel (in French). Librairie Droz. p. 319. ISBN 9782600029797.
- "Temple St-Etienne". moudon.ch (in French). Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- "Eglise réformée Saint-Etienne". Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National Significance (in French). Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP). Retrieved November 13, 2019.
Further reading
- Cassina, Gaëtan; Fontannaz, Monique (1998). L’église Saint-Étienne de Moudon. Guides de monuments suisses (in French). Bern: Society for Art History in Switzerland.
