Collégiale d'Ecouis
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At the beginning of the XIVth century, Ecouis (91 km from Paris and 32km from Rouen) is a thriving town, with a well-established market and several trade fairs. It is also a meeting point for kings hunting in the near-by forest of Lyons. Its parish church "Saint Aubin" is placed under the patronage of Bec-Hellouin abbey. Ecouis underwent significant changes under the influence of the rich and powerful Enguerrand of Marigny, the Finance Minister of King Philip IV, called Philip The Fair (1285-1314). After having commissioned a hospital (partly destroyed but still used as a nursing home) for Ecouis, Enguerrand obtained the authorisation from both the King of France and the Pope to replace the existing parish church by a collegiate church, the running of which would be entrusted to the college of 12 canons he had created. The church was built in just three years (1310-1313). The speed of its construction is at the heart of its architectural unity and the simplicity of its decoration. The purity of its style and the overall harmony prevailing between the twin towers and the rest of the church gives it a somewhat austere beauty. The church was consecrated to Our Lady of Assumption on 9 September 1313 in presence of the Pope's Legate, the Cardinal Nicolas of Fréauville.
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