A must-see
article | Reading time4 min
As you approach the royal monastery of Brou, you will immediately notice its beautiful polychrome tile roof. A major element of the monument, this one has however known many misfortunes!
A Burgundian roof
From the slender and shiny silhouette of the building, you will see at first glance the brown, green, ochre and light yellow diamonds that adorn the roof.
Composed of two sloping sides, it is covered with glazed tiles and colored. It took more than one hundred and fifty thousand of them to cover the roofs of the nave and the choir of the church!
This " Burgundian-style " roofing is reminiscent of certain buildings in the neighboring region, such as the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune or the Ducal Palace in Dijon. For Marguerite of Austria, the founder of the monument, it was a way of claiming the duchy of Burgundy, of which she was theheiress, in the eyes of everyone.
© Franck Paubel
THE ORIGINAL ROOF REMAINS UNKNOWN
When it was built in 1532, the roof was covered with glazed, leaded and painted tiles of various colors, arranged in a diamond shape.
But we don't know exactly what the roof looked like in the princess's time. There are no precise drawings. It is only described in an account by Father Raphael de la Vierge Marie, the prior of Brou in the 17th century.
What we do know is that it was magnificent! A few glazed tiles found in the attic or replaced in the roofs have allowed us to identify the materials and colors used at the time.
© Franck Paubel
SEVERAL CENTURIES OF CHANGES
Thanks to studies and analyses of the roof structures and coverings, we have been able to understand its evolution and that of its materials.
The church of Brou has in fact undergone significant damage over the centuries! Bad conception, modifications of the structure, looting, demolitions...
In 1655, reports already indicate that the roof of the church is in very bad condition. But it is only in 1758 that major works are going to be undertaken, by the Lyon architect Antoine Michel Perrache.
The silhouette of the roof was completely modified! To make it more resistant and less expensive in wood, the frame is lowered and the glazed tiles disappear. The roof then became " à la Mansart ": each side of the roof has two different slopes.
© Ville de Bourg-en-Bresse (DR)
AN EMBLEMATIC ROOF
Did you know that it wasn't until 1998 that the church had a roof similar to the original one?
In 1995, the chief architect of the Monuments Historiques was authorized, after long discussions, to restore the original roof.
The 18th century additions were removed, the 16th century framework was restored to its original profile and its four colors.
Today, this roof has become emblematic of the monument, less than thirty years after its completion!
© Franck Paubel
