In Langres, niches and the statues they house are a heritage that is both omnipresent and discreet. In this episcopal capital with its strong clerical influence, popular beliefs have long attributed protective functions to Mary and the saints. Private and public devotion has left a rich heritage of sacred art, one of the city's distinctive features. As early as the Middle Ages, the aldermen decorated the city gates with a statue of the Virgin Mary in order to obtain peace, protection and security. The cult of the Virgin grew stronger in the early 17th century, following the Catholic Reformation and the arrival of several male and female religious orders in Langres. Many homeowners installed a niche on their facade to house a statue of the Virgin or a saint. As a result, the streets and squares of the town are full of charming works of art, some ostentatious, others more modest or even naïve. Their style, workmanship and diversity always manage to move you. Today, some 75 niches are "inhabited" by statues dating from the 14th century to the present day, the most numerous of which are from the 18th century.
Les niches et les statues de Langres
