Church of St Joan of Arc
| Church of Saint Joan of Arc | |
|---|---|
| Église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc | |
|
Stained glass window of the Crucifixion, 16th century | |
| Country |
 |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | Joan of Arc |
| Dedicated | May 27, 1979 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Louis Arretche |
| Style | Modern |
| Completed | 1979 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Rouen |
The 'Church of Saint Joan of Arc (French: L'église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc) is a religious building in the city center of Rouen, northern France.
The church of Saint Joan of Arc was completed in 1979 in the center of the ancient market square (in French, the Place du Vieux-Marché) in Rouen. This is the same location where Joan of Arc was burned alive for heresy in 1431 - a large cross outside the church marks the exact spot. The stained glass windows come from the 16th century Church of Saint Vincent (originally located a few hundred metres away in central Rouen - the ruins can still be seen today). The church was almost completely destroyed in 1944 during World War II, but fortunately the windows had been removed and stored in a safe location during the war. They were then incorporated into the Church of Saint Joan of Arc, where one can admire them today.
The modern church Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc and the adjacent market halls were designed by the architect Louis Arretche. The audacious architecture is at once strikingly modern and deeply historical. The sweeping curves of the structure are meant to evoke both the flames that consumed Joan of Arc and an overturned Viking ship. Many early Christian churches were designed in the shape of an overturned boat. The market halls simultaneously resemble smaller overturned boats and fish with gaping mouths, which are also rich Christian symbols.