Église évangélique de la Pélisserie

Église évangélique de la Pélisserie in Geneva is a neo-Gothic chapel dating from 1838, set on rue de la Pélisserie in the Old Town. It ranks among the first pseudo-medieval buildings erected in Geneva and has been a protected monument of the canton since 1992.

What is this building?

The chapel was designed by architect Jacques-Louis Brocher for the Société Évangélique, a society founded in 1831 by pastor Louis Gaussen as part of the Réveil, the Protestant revival that stirred Geneva in the early nineteenth century. Brocher had already built the Oratoire chapel in 1833–1834, which makes Pélisserie his second major church project for the Réveil community.

What makes the architecture stand out?

In 1838 the Gothic revival was only just reaching Geneva, a city then dominated by classical and genuinely medieval buildings. The facade has two Tudor-arched windows and a round oculus, while inside the timber roof structure is left exposed rather than hidden behind a ceiling. It is a neat early example of Romantic historicism in a Protestant city whose churches had long been austere.

What is the history of the congregation?

Réveil followers formed their own congregations outside the state church. The group that began in 1817 as the Église du Bourg-de-Four took the name Église de la Pélisserie in 1839, after the street where the chapel stands. The building was restored in 1958–1959, in 1974 and again in 2002–2004. The Geneva Council of State classified it as a monument in 1992.

How to visit

The chapel stands on rue de la Pélisserie, close to rue Calvin and Saint-Pierre Cathedral, so it fits easily into a walk through the Vieille-Ville. It is a working place of worship rather than a museum, so you will usually see the interior during services or community events. From the street, look at the facade with its Tudor windows and oculus. Check opening times with the congregation before you go.

Frequently asked questions

When was the chapel on rue de la Pélisserie built?

In 1838, to plans by Jacques-Louis Brocher, for the Société Évangélique.

Is the building a listed monument?

Yes. The Geneva Council of State classified it in 1992.

What style is it?

Neo-Gothic with Tudor touches: two windows with Tudor arches, an oculus in the facade and an exposed timber roof.

Does it have a link with the Réveil movement?

Yes. The Société Évangélique that commissioned it was founded in 1831 within the Réveil, and the congregation at Pélisserie grew out of that movement.