Descriptif
The Saint-Pierre collegiate church is located in Douai, which is one of the rare cities to have two collegiate churches with the Saint-Amé collegiate church.
The collegiate church of Saint-Pierre, the longest north of Paris at 112 meters, has been classified as a historic monument since February 21, 1974
History
Former parish church erected as a collegiate church probably in 1113 by the Count of Flanders Baudouin VII nicknamed La Hache, it has under its jurisdiction all the parishes of the right bank of the Scarpe.
Jean Rayne, alderman of the city in 1364 and victim of a miscarriage of justice, was buried in the Sainte-Croix chapel by order of the King's council.
The bell tower was rebuilt from 1513 to 1687 in Gothic, then classical style; his coronation was redone in 1904-1905. The vast current building dates from 1735-1750.
The previous church, threatening ruin, was forbidden to worship and demolished in 1734.
The collegiate church was originally commissioned by members of Parliament around 1740 on the initiative of its president, Charles-Joseph de Pollinchove. The church is in Latin cross with three naves with a rounded transept at the ends. The axial chapel is topped with a dome dating from the 18th century.
This building is quite remarkable for the harmony it inspires and is part of the classical style, it contains many paintings of the French school of the 18th century, an altarpiece from the early 17th century and marble sculptures from the 17th and 18th centuries. All the furniture (pulpit, altars, grate, etc.) dates from the 18th century. Under the altar of the dome, a 13th century gilded silver hunt.