St. Denis Church

The Saint-Denis church is a Catholic parish church located in Villers-sous-Saint-Leu, in the Oise department, France. The origins of the parish are lost in time. The current church dates, in its oldest parts, to the second quarter of the 12th century, and to the end of the Romanesque period. These are the nave, whose north and west elevations have hardly changed since then, and the bell tower with its high stone spire, unfortunately not very visible. No element of Romanesque architecture is visible inside the church. The various extensions and alterations of the Gothic period make the church of Saint-Denis a particularly complex building. The north side chapel and the portal date from the end of the 12th century. The vaults of the nave and the choir date from the middle of the 13th century and display a good level of Radiant Gothic style, except for the arcades under the base of the bell tower, which are of a purely functional character. The south side chapel and its old western portal, which later became the door of the sacristy, also belong to the radiant period. There are two elegant windows with elaborate grids, which reflect the Radiant art at its peak. The other two windows in the chapel date only from the third quarter of the 16th century, when the last two bays of the chapel were rebuilt in the Renaissance style. Two windows were rebuilt at the same time, and have classified stained glass windows: one represents the Tree of Jesse, and the other, the Deploration of the Dead Christ. The 16th century also left a statue of the Virgin and Child of exceptional quality. The church of Saint-Denis was classified as a historical monument by order of January 11, 1944. It is affiliated with the parish of Notre-Dame des Deux Rivières de Montataire, and hosts Sunday masses every other Sunday.