One can observe on this aerial view the central position of
the collegiate church as well as the concentric extension of the ancient city.

The Collegiate church, now a basilica since 1951 after its consecretion by Mgr Roncalli who was to become Pope John XXIII, was built from 1509 till 1586. The inhabitants actually refer to their "Collegiate church" more than to the "basilica". The church itself offers harmonious proportions and is the most important religious building in the whole region of Franche-Comté. It is the largest architectural element of the cityscape. Its classical shape (Latin cross) reveals a Gothic style. It holds some works of interest such as : the Porch (Hugues le Rupt, 1577), the Holy Chapel (Hugues le Rupt, 1609-1614), a splendid Virgin Lady and Child, some monumental Paintings by Pécheux (late 18th C) which have just been restaured, a Pulpit by Denis le Rupt carved in marble from Sampans, another pulpit in carved, painted wood, the Gallery bearing the Riepp organ, built in the 16th C by Denis le Rupt. The statues of apostles (Burgundy school of 15th century) have been moved to their original setting (the Visitation chapel) in 2007.

Now unobstrusive, now commanding, the collegiate church is always visible to the sightseer's eye

The Collegiate church seen from Azans heights with Mont Roland in the distance.

The Collegiate church seen from the "Bombardière"..

		December 2005.
Northern side of the collegiate church The Porch by H. le Rupt Reflection in the tanners' canal. Choir of the collegiate church Holy Chapel (17th c) built as a shrine for the miraculous host from Faverney Neo-classical decoration in the Holy Chapel All gothic elements have disappared, replaced by a cradle-vault adorned with a coffered ceiling Details of the coffered ceiling. The Blessed Lady and Child (Burgundy school, 15th c)
	Preaching pulpit and stoop by Denis le Rupt (1556) carved in marble from Sampans. The pulpit is to be compared with that of the church at Auxonne (center) and that of the church at Pesmes (right) by the same artist

Statues of apostles (Burgundy school 15th C) that have just been moved to their former location in the Visitation church
(former St Jérôme school).


The roof shaping a Cross.

The bell tower overlooking the city like a light-house

The coloured patchwork of the city roofs huddled together around the collegiate church

A remarkable ensemble : the preaching pulpits, the gallery, the organ and the paintings by Pécheux

Top of a preaching pulpit in painted wood (18th c)

The K J Riepp organ and its gallery. K J Riepp has managed to integrate the gallery carved by D. Le Rupt two centuries earlier into the instrument.

Detail (brass) of the gate of the Holy Chapel (by A. Chastel, 1611)) illustrating the miracle at Faverney

Stained glass window commemorating the visit of Louis XIV to the Holy chapel on February 14th 1668 after the city had surrendered.

The gate of the Holy Chapel (1609-1612) (Hugues le Rupt) Three semi-circular archs framed byfour roman columns discovered in 1550 are topped by a triangular front widely cut out by a niche

Choir singing-desk (18thC) and Chancelor Carondelet's monument by J Mone (16thC)

The fonts (neo-classical style)

Views of the nave showing some paintings
by L. Pécheux (18th C) before repairs.

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One of the paintings in the choir has just been restored .
Those by Pécheux will be restored during the repairs of the collegiate church.

Some mythical animal brooding over the collegiate church ? The fireworks for Whit-Sunday2006.

Porch of Carondelet's monument.

Close up of the vault in the choir.

Antiphonary (17th C). Local archives.

Original score of a mass by Lerouge (organist at Dole in 1789). Local archives.

After the outside repairs of these last years, the inside has at last been restored so as
to make the collegiate church ready to celebrate the 500th annivrsary of its foundation in 2009.

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