Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

The Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul church is a Catholic church located in Santeuil, France. Built during two campaigns in the second quarter of the 12th century for the eastern parts and the bell tower and at the beginning of the 13th century for the nave, it combines the Romanesque style with the primitive Gothic style and retains a rare homogeneity. It was indeed spared by the wars and never underwent remodeling or modifications affecting its structure, which is rare in the French Vexin. The church of Santeuil is an ideal type of medieval village church. Its plan is quite classical and regular, even more regular than usual because the choir and the transept crosses are almost identical. Its bell tower corresponds to a type widely spread in the Vexin. Its nave shows an ambitious three-level elevation with an open gallery over the attic, evoking the triforium of the great Gothic churches and cathedrals. The influence of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is undeniable because the arcades of the galleries are directly copied from those of the choir of this cathedral. At the same time, contrary to appearances, the dimensions of the church are quite modest, and its nave is only 3.50 m wide, which makes it appear even taller and more slender. All the architecture of the church is well done, but the decoration remains simple, which does not prevent a certain elegance thanks to the harmony of the volumes and forms. Apart from these characteristics, the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul church is distinguished by its crosses and its choir covered with Romanesque barrel vaults, which has become very rare in the region, most of these vaults having been replaced by ribbed vaults. The church of Santeuil was classified as a historical monument by decree of October 30, 1894.