🏛️ Lieu
Patrimoine & Culture
Chapelle Orthodoxe
📍 Contrexéville, Vosges
· 88140 Contrexéville
À propos
A vestige of the splendor of the 1900s and a witness to the illustrious curists and visitors of the Belle Epoque who came to Contrexéville, the Orthodox chapel was built in 1909 in the Parc Thermal de Contrexéville.
We owe this religious edifice to the Grand Duchess of Russia, Marie Pavlovna, aunt of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, who frequented the spa for many years (from 1902). She had it erected in memory of her husband, Grand Duke Vladimir-Alexandre, who died in February 1909. She also wanted to thank the people of the Vosges for their hospitality during her thermal cures, and make it a place of worship for her fellow curists.
A refugee during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, she was buried here in 1920 (according to her last wishes) after her death at the Hôtel de la Souveraine, as was her third son, Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovitch in 1943.
Two architects, one French and one Russian, were responsible for its construction.
Inside, the copper-clad wooden dome is supported by 8 painted cast-iron colonnettes, imitating copper from Bussy, and enhanced by cabochons imitating turquoise stone.
There are also magnificent stained-glass windows with floral motifs, an iconostasis decorated with icons and carved wooden panels inlaid with hard stone. On the left, the white marble cenotaph of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna stands on the vault where the coffin is buried.
Outside, the bell, commissioned by Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Wladimir, was cast by the Ferdinand Farnier foundry in Robécourt in 1912. It weighs 842 kg and gives the "F".
Because of its weight, it was placed on a portico outside the chapel to avoid damaging the structure of the building. It was blessed on August 18, 1912.
Open from time to time during guided tours of the town organized by the Tourist Office and during liturgies.
For further information: chapelle.russe.contrex@gmail.com
We owe this religious edifice to the Grand Duchess of Russia, Marie Pavlovna, aunt of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, who frequented the spa for many years (from 1902). She had it erected in memory of her husband, Grand Duke Vladimir-Alexandre, who died in February 1909. She also wanted to thank the people of the Vosges for their hospitality during her thermal cures, and make it a place of worship for her fellow curists.
A refugee during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, she was buried here in 1920 (according to her last wishes) after her death at the Hôtel de la Souveraine, as was her third son, Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovitch in 1943.
Two architects, one French and one Russian, were responsible for its construction.
Inside, the copper-clad wooden dome is supported by 8 painted cast-iron colonnettes, imitating copper from Bussy, and enhanced by cabochons imitating turquoise stone.
There are also magnificent stained-glass windows with floral motifs, an iconostasis decorated with icons and carved wooden panels inlaid with hard stone. On the left, the white marble cenotaph of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna stands on the vault where the coffin is buried.
Outside, the bell, commissioned by Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Wladimir, was cast by the Ferdinand Farnier foundry in Robécourt in 1912. It weighs 842 kg and gives the "F".
Because of its weight, it was placed on a portico outside the chapel to avoid damaging the structure of the building. It was blessed on August 18, 1912.
Open from time to time during guided tours of the town organized by the Tourist Office and during liturgies.
For further information: chapelle.russe.contrex@gmail.com
