Before the Château was built (1679–85), Marly had only a small church, built in the 11th century. Louis XIV decided to have it demolished and offered Marly a new place of worship: the Eglise Saint-Vigor.
Built in 1688 by the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the Eglise Saint-Vigor was strongly inspired by one of the architect's most recent creations, the Eglise Notre-Dame at Versailles.
The interior of the church is richly decorated: the marble altar with its statues of angels (classed as Monuments Historique in 1905) came from the old Versailles chapel. Rumour had it that Louis XIV had married Madame de Maintenon in front of this altar.
Beneath one of the chancel steps lie the entrails of Bontemps, premier valet de chambre du roi (first valet of the king's bedchamber) and governor of Marly and Versailles. On the right of the altar, in front of the sacristy, is the chapelle du calvaire where Christ on the cross sits on a stand that forms the back of the seat occupied by Louis XIV at the church.
The interior of the church is richly decorated: the marble altar with its statues of angels (classed as Monuments Historique in 1905) came from the old Versailles chapel. Rumour had it that Louis XIV had married Madame de Maintenon in front of this altar.
Beneath one of the chancel steps lie the entrails of Bontemps, premier valet de chambre du roi (first valet of the king's bedchamber) and governor of Marly and Versailles. On the right of the altar, in front of the sacristy, is the chapelle du calvaire where Christ on the cross sits on a stand that forms the back of the seat occupied by Louis XIV at the church.
