Monday 6 June 2011.
Today was our first day of scheduled touring. Unfortunately it was every bit as overcast and drizzly as yesterday. We donned our most comfortable shoes, made sure we had portable rain gear, and set off walking with our guides for a day of Paris sightseeing with a medieval twist. This day will be divided into three separate posts for our main destinations, to prevent information overload!
In
1163, Bishop of Paris Maurice de Sully demolished this Mérovingian basilica to Notre Dame,
which had been much altered in the ensuing 650 years. He
apparently felt it was not grand enough -- simply wouldn't do to serve as "the parish church of
the kings of Europe." Perhaps he felt the old-fashioned church
needed to be updated in the new Gothic style.
I like to think he was also embarrassed that the cathedral of the city of Paris was inferior to Abbot Suger's magnificent Abbaye de St-Denis to the north of the city! Fortunately for us, Sully's competitive feelings eventually resulted in a masterpiece. He devoted his career and fortune to the construction of this cathedral.
The above view is from the Place du Parvis Notre-Dame. This was once truly the center of Paris, both literally and figuratively. The land around here was filled with other churches, chapels, businesses and residences, although all that was cleared when Sully began his 12th century building campaign.
The plaza was further enlarged during the Haussman era of Paris reconstruction. On the ground are the outlines of some of the old churches and streets that were demolished. There is also a brass star set into the ground right in front of the cathedral that was the "point zero" used to measure the distances of all roads leading to and from Paris.
Numerous architects worked on the site over the centuries, as modifications and repairs were completed. That's apparent to the naked eye, as one can see differing styles and even note the differing heights of the towers. The church is a limestone palimpsest, held together with the dried sweat of ten centuries worth of men who created and recreated a divine masterpiece.
This cathedral, like most churches, suffered during the Revolution. The building was re-dedicated to the Cult of Reason and later to the Cult of the Supreme Being. Lady Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on several altars. And like other churches I'd visited, this cathedral even came to be used at one point as a food warehouse!
Most of the original early 13th century statuary and carvings were vandalized and destroyed by the mobs of the French Revolution, as the stone Kings of Judah who once fronted the building became representational stand-ins for the Kings of France. The Revolutionaries, frustrated by their inability to draw blood from stone, moved onto other large-scale acts of human destruction at the Place de la Concorde (but that's another story from another time).
It was the popularity of Victor Hugo's 1831 classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame that called attention to the sorry condition of the church and reminded people that it was one of France's national treasures. Restoration began in 1845, overseen by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and the ubiquitous Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.
Our guide said that in 1977 the heads of the Kings of Judah and hundreds of other sculptural stone fragments were uncovered in the Chaussée d’Antin district (near the Opera Garnier and Galleries Lafayette department store) during the course of routine construction work. The Musée de Cluny was immediately contacted and told "We've found the heads of the Kings of Judah!" But since it happened to be April 1st, the Cluny contact initially thought the call was a prank! The Cluny website doesn't mention this story but does describe how after the Revolution the statues were purchased by a builder for scrap, with the heads resold and then 'buried with respect' in 1796, until rediscovered in 1977. April Fools joke or not, it's a great story and an amazing archaeological discovery. (We'll see the heads when we visit the Cluny, our next stop on the tour).
The cathedral was given a thorough cleaning in the late 20th century that highlighted the beauty of the front portal carvings. We spent a lot of time looking at those.
Saint Anne's portal is the oldest of the three entrances, installed in 1200. The tympanum features the Majestic Virgin with Child that was allegedly made some fifty years earlier, dating it to use in the original Mérovingien cathedral.
There is an angel on each side of the throne. On the left is the Bishop of Paris. On the right is a king of France, whom I like to think of as Eleanor's first husband Louis VII.
If it was indeed sculpted in 1150, it's quite possible I may be right about the model!
The center portal represents the Last Judgement. It is the newest of the three portals, dating to the 1220s. Christ is shown in the center on this trumeau, in a teaching pose. He is standing on a pedestal sculpted with the liberal arts: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic
I prefer this medieval way of classifyin
I get a kick out of medieval Last Judgement representations and this one was especially fun to look at. The devil has such a delicious leer, and his minions are perfectly sleazy. The Saved who are grouped behind Saint Michel are suitably sanctimonious, whereas the Damned have the most chagrined looks. They're not at all remorseful, mind you, only sorry they've been caught!
They'll be plenty sorry once they get to Hell, though. Because:
Eleanor divorced Louis in 1152, and was thus long gone from Paris by the time the cathedral we know today was started. She most certainly would have visited the original Mérovingien church, since it was considered the city cathedral as far back as the 10th century. She would have likely viewed the tympanum on today's Saint Anne portal.
Remains of the original cathedral and of the medieval streets and houses surrounding it can be viewed if one visits the Crypt Archéologique, a large excavated area under the Parvis Notre-Dame square in front of he cathedral. It was unfortunately closed today; had I known it would be inaccessible, I'd have added it to yesterday's walk! (Note to all tour operators (and tourists): always check closing times in advance when planning your itineraries). Here are a few photos from a subsequent visit:
Once inside, the contrast between the darkness of the nave and the light streaming in from the transept windows and the chandeliers was breath-taking.
One tradition I cherish is the lighting a candle in memory of loved ones, which I did immediately upon entering the cathedral.
More interior photos:
We enjoyed our tour of the cathedral but I think our most exciting medieval moment came when fellow tour member and scholar Malcolm Craig succeeded in finding the plaque honoring Eleanor and Henry's fourth son, Geoffrey II Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond.
Geoffrey's untimely death in a joust occurred in 1186. He was close to his half-siste
We all stood around snapping photos of this memorial to a man who, had he lived, might well have been a wonderful king. He'd certainly have prevented the sad fates of his children, had history played out differently.
Although we did not visit the Notre-Dame treasury, it is notable for housing a reliquary that contains the reputed Crown of Thorns. This was the same crown that was offered to Saint Louis by the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in 1238 and eventually housed at the exquisite Sainte-Chapelle. Those were good years for the crown, as it was later threatened during the French Revolution and ended up being tossed around with State versus Church claiming possession. At least it survived! It was restored to the Church under the Concordat of 1801 and deposited at Notre-Dame, where it resides with a sliver of the True Cross and a nail from the Passion.
Some artifacts from the treasury of Notre Dame, from a later trip:
I find reliquaries to be amazing works of art (especially my favorite reliquary of all, the entire Sainte-Chapelle)! I am fascinated by the power of faith manifested in the veneration of vials of dried blood, bone, wood, and fabric scraps. An entire industry sprang up in the Christian world around the trade and manufacture of relics, capitalizing on man's desire to be closer to heaven. I think it truly doesn't matter in the end whether or not the relics are authentic artifacts. It was faith that made them powerful and offered comfort; believing made it so.
I suppose that's the very nature of faith itself; belief is what keeps it alive, not carbon-dating.
The rabbit's warren of streets surrounding Notre Dame beckoned, though we didn't have time to explore. Haussmann’s
renovation of Paris in the Belle Epoque era has unmistakable charm, but that homogenizing building campaign
destroyed so many ancient winding streets and buildings. In medieval times, access to the Cloître Notre-Dame was through
four gates, all of which were closed at sunset. Entry was forbidden to anyone outside the community
of canons -- especially to women! But the surrounding neighborhood was a
vibrant one complete with shops and stalls, chapels and even cemeteries.
There are some architectural remains of this era. On near-by Rue de Ursins is the private chapel of Saint-Aignan, where it is thought that the secret marriage of Peter Abélard and Héloïse d'Argenteuil took place (other sources claim it occurred at St-Julien-de-Pavre but I think the evidence that it took place at this private chapel which once belonged to Abélard's patron Etienne de Garlande is more compelling. See my post about that on my other blog: The Historical Dilettante).
Eleanor would certainly have known of the story of Abélard and Héloïse. Visiting this small chapel is reportedly difficult, and it was not on our agenda today. It is considered the second oldest building in Paris that dates to Eleanor's era; St-Germain-des-Pres is the oldest.
Also near-by along Le Quai aux Fleurs is a house on the reputed site where Canon Fulbert lived, he who was Héloïse's uncle and the man whose vengeance resulted in Abélard's misfortunes.
These little houses pictured below, squeezed in amongst newer ones, show the medieval charm of the area.
Au Revoir, Notre-Dame!
Our next stop: Musée de Cluny.
Today was our first day of scheduled touring. Unfortunately it was every bit as overcast and drizzly as yesterday. We donned our most comfortable shoes, made sure we had portable rain gear, and set off walking with our guides for a day of Paris sightseeing with a medieval twist. This day will be divided into three separate posts for our main destinations, to prevent information overload!
Destination #1: Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
 |
| Photo by Tammie Maloney |
Cathédrale Notre Dame as we know it was not the first
church built on this site. In 52 BCE, the Romans conquered the Parisii and settled the town of Lutetia, building a Temple of Jupiter to celebrate. They used stone blocks (discovered during a 1710 renovation of the crypt at Notre-Dame) to form a
square pillar with a dedication from the "Boatmen of the Parisii
territories" to Jupiter and the Roman Emperor Tiberius. This rediscovered pillar now resides in the Cluny Museum (which we'll visit later today).
In 528, King of the Franks Childebert I (one of the four sons of Clovis) built the first Christian church in Paris. It was initially dedicated to Saint Etienne but eventually became known as Notre-Dame. Archaeological excavations in the 20th century suggest that this Mérovingian house of worship was massive, with a five-aisle nave similar to that of the first Saint Peter’s in Rome. It was some 36 metres wide and at least 70 metres long. Its original foundations lie beneath the present-day cathedral.
In 528, King of the Franks Childebert I (one of the four sons of Clovis) built the first Christian church in Paris. It was initially dedicated to Saint Etienne but eventually became known as Notre-Dame. Archaeological excavations in the 20th century suggest that this Mérovingian house of worship was massive, with a five-aisle nave similar to that of the first Saint Peter’s in Rome. It was some 36 metres wide and at least 70 metres long. Its original foundations lie beneath the present-day cathedral.
I like to think he was also embarrassed that the cathedral of the city of Paris was inferior to Abbot Suger's magnificent Abbaye de St-Denis to the north of the city! Fortunately for us, Sully's competitive feelings eventually resulted in a masterpiece. He devoted his career and fortune to the construction of this cathedral.
 |
| Photo by John Phillips |
The above view is from the Place du Parvis Notre-Dame. This was once truly the center of Paris, both literally and figuratively. The land around here was filled with other churches, chapels, businesses and residences, although all that was cleared when Sully began his 12th century building campaign.
The plaza was further enlarged during the Haussman era of Paris reconstruction. On the ground are the outlines of some of the old churches and streets that were demolished. There is also a brass star set into the ground right in front of the cathedral that was the "point zero" used to measure the distances of all roads leading to and from Paris.
Numerous architects worked on the site over the centuries, as modifications and repairs were completed. That's apparent to the naked eye, as one can see differing styles and even note the differing heights of the towers. The church is a limestone palimpsest, held together with the dried sweat of ten centuries worth of men who created and recreated a divine masterpiece.
This cathedral, like most churches, suffered during the Revolution. The building was re-dedicated to the Cult of Reason and later to the Cult of the Supreme Being. Lady Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on several altars. And like other churches I'd visited, this cathedral even came to be used at one point as a food warehouse!
Most of the original early 13th century statuary and carvings were vandalized and destroyed by the mobs of the French Revolution, as the stone Kings of Judah who once fronted the building became representational stand-ins for the Kings of France. The Revolutionaries, frustrated by their inability to draw blood from stone, moved onto other large-scale acts of human destruction at the Place de la Concorde (but that's another story from another time).
It was the popularity of Victor Hugo's 1831 classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame that called attention to the sorry condition of the church and reminded people that it was one of France's national treasures. Restoration began in 1845, overseen by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and the ubiquitous Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.
Our guide said that in 1977 the heads of the Kings of Judah and hundreds of other sculptural stone fragments were uncovered in the Chaussée d’Antin district (near the Opera Garnier and Galleries Lafayette department store) during the course of routine construction work. The Musée de Cluny was immediately contacted and told "We've found the heads of the Kings of Judah!" But since it happened to be April 1st, the Cluny contact initially thought the call was a prank! The Cluny website doesn't mention this story but does describe how after the Revolution the statues were purchased by a builder for scrap, with the heads resold and then 'buried with respect' in 1796, until rediscovered in 1977. April Fools joke or not, it's a great story and an amazing archaeological discovery. (We'll see the heads when we visit the Cluny, our next stop on the tour).
 |
| Photo by John Phillips |
The cathedral was given a thorough cleaning in the late 20th century that highlighted the beauty of the front portal carvings. We spent a lot of time looking at those.
Saint Anne's portal is the oldest of the three entrances, installed in 1200. The tympanum features the Majestic Virgin with Child that was allegedly made some fifty years earlier, dating it to use in the original Mérovingien cathedral.
There is an angel on each side of the throne. On the left is the Bishop of Paris. On the right is a king of France, whom I like to think of as Eleanor's first husband Louis VII.
If it was indeed sculpted in 1150, it's quite possible I may be right about the model!
The center portal represents the Last Judgement. It is the newest of the three portals, dating to the 1220s. Christ is shown in the center on this trumeau, in a teaching pose. He is standing on a pedestal sculpted with the liberal arts: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic
I prefer this medieval way of classifyin
This trumeau was removed in 1771 to make
room for the canopy used to cover the Holy Sacrament during
processions.
We have Viollet-le-Duc to thank for its restoration in mid-19th century.
We have Viollet-le-Duc to thank for its restoration in mid-19th century.
I get a kick out of medieval Last Judgement representations and this one was especially fun to look at. The devil has such a delicious leer, and his minions are perfectly sleazy. The Saved who are grouped behind Saint Michel are suitably sanctimonious, whereas the Damned have the most chagrined looks. They're not at all remorseful, mind you, only sorry they've been caught!
They'll be plenty sorry once they get to Hell, though. Because:
I spy a bishop, a monk, and a king being terrorized up in there!
The Portal of the Virgin depicts the life and ascension of Mary; a coronation scene; and an astrologic
My
two favorite Parisian patron saints are represented: Denis, second to the left from
the door, Geneviève third on the right from the door. Here's crazy thrill-seeking Denis holding his head, while my girl Geneviève stands looking calm, cool,serene and lovely. That's no mean feat, considering she's got a demon and an angel warring over her shoulders.
Eleanor divorced Louis in 1152, and was thus long gone from Paris by the time the cathedral we know today was started. She most certainly would have visited the original Mérovingien church, since it was considered the city cathedral as far back as the 10th century. She would have likely viewed the tympanum on today's Saint Anne portal.
Remains of the original cathedral and of the medieval streets and houses surrounding it can be viewed if one visits the Crypt Archéologique, a large excavated area under the Parvis Notre-Dame square in front of he cathedral. It was unfortunately closed today; had I known it would be inaccessible, I'd have added it to yesterday's walk! (Note to all tour operators (and tourists): always check closing times in advance when planning your itineraries). Here are a few photos from a subsequent visit:
Time to enter the cathedral through these amazing doors. I had to take a (blurry) picture of the ornamental iron fretwork as I passed:
Once inside, the contrast between the darkness of the nave and the light streaming in from the transept windows and the chandeliers was breath-taking.
 |
| Photo by John Phillips |
One tradition I cherish is the lighting a candle in memory of loved ones, which I did immediately upon entering the cathedral.
 |
| Photo by Tammie Maloney |
More interior photos:
We enjoyed our tour of the cathedral but I think our most exciting medieval moment came when fellow tour member and scholar Malcolm Craig succeeded in finding the plaque honoring Eleanor and Henry's fourth son, Geoffrey II Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond.
Geoffrey's untimely death in a joust occurred in 1186. He was close to his half-siste
We all stood around snapping photos of this memorial to a man who, had he lived, might well have been a wonderful king. He'd certainly have prevented the sad fates of his children, had history played out differently.
Although we did not visit the Notre-Dame treasury, it is notable for housing a reliquary that contains the reputed Crown of Thorns. This was the same crown that was offered to Saint Louis by the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in 1238 and eventually housed at the exquisite Sainte-Chapelle. Those were good years for the crown, as it was later threatened during the French Revolution and ended up being tossed around with State versus Church claiming possession. At least it survived! It was restored to the Church under the Concordat of 1801 and deposited at Notre-Dame, where it resides with a sliver of the True Cross and a nail from the Passion.
Some artifacts from the treasury of Notre Dame, from a later trip:
I find reliquaries to be amazing works of art (especially my favorite reliquary of all, the entire Sainte-Chapelle)! I am fascinated by the power of faith manifested in the veneration of vials of dried blood, bone, wood, and fabric scraps. An entire industry sprang up in the Christian world around the trade and manufacture of relics, capitalizing on man's desire to be closer to heaven. I think it truly doesn't matter in the end whether or not the relics are authentic artifacts. It was faith that made them powerful and offered comfort; believing made it so.
I suppose that's the very nature of faith itself; belief is what keeps it alive, not carbon-dating.
The rabbit's warren of streets surrounding Notre Dame beckoned, though we didn't have time to explore. Haussmann’s
renovation of Paris in the Belle Epoque era has unmistakable charm, but that homogenizing building campaign
destroyed so many ancient winding streets and buildings. In medieval times, access to the Cloître Notre-Dame was through
four gates, all of which were closed at sunset. Entry was forbidden to anyone outside the community
of canons -- especially to women! But the surrounding neighborhood was a
vibrant one complete with shops and stalls, chapels and even cemeteries.There are some architectural remains of this era. On near-by Rue de Ursins is the private chapel of Saint-Aignan, where it is thought that the secret marriage of Peter Abélard and Héloïse d'Argenteuil took place (other sources claim it occurred at St-Julien-de-Pavre but I think the evidence that it took place at this private chapel which once belonged to Abélard's patron Etienne de Garlande is more compelling. See my post about that on my other blog: The Historical Dilettante).
Eleanor would certainly have known of the story of Abélard and Héloïse. Visiting this small chapel is reportedly difficult, and it was not on our agenda today. It is considered the second oldest building in Paris that dates to Eleanor's era; St-Germain-des-Pres is the oldest.
Also near-by along Le Quai aux Fleurs is a house on the reputed site where Canon Fulbert lived, he who was Héloïse's uncle and the man whose vengeance resulted in Abélard's misfortunes.
These little houses pictured below, squeezed in amongst newer ones, show the medieval charm of the area.
 |
| Photo by John Phillips |
After a long morning, our little group stopped for a quick snack near-by, with a wonderful view!
 |
| Photo by Sherill Roberts |
Our next stop: Musée de Cluny.
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