Cathedrals of Rouen - Guide to France - LiveJournal. Rouen Cathedral Rouen Cathedral history of construction

One of the most striking architectural monuments of Gothic art is the Rouen Cathedral (French Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, Cathedral of Our Lady of Rouen). The majestic structure is located in the central part of the city of Rouen, located northwest of Paris. Notre-Dame de Rouen is included in the list of national heritage of France and has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1979.

History of the cathedral

The history of Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen dates back thousands of years. For almost ten centuries it has risen on the territory of France.

Predecessor of the cathedral

The beginning of the temple was laid at the end of the 4th century. By this time there is a mention of the first Christian basilica in Normandy during the Roman Empire. Later, an episcopal complex arose in its place, which consisted of a baptistery and two churches dedicated to Our Lady and St. Stephen. In 841, the complex was destroyed by the Normans who captured Rouen.

Construction and foundation

Only 70 years later, in 911, restoration work began. The Viking leader Rollan received from King Charles III the Simple (September 17, 879 - October 7, 929) the title of duke, and with it the lands of Normandy, subject to his adoption of Christianity. In 1020, construction began on the Romanesque style temple. Only one crypt has survived from the Romanesque part to this day. The rest of the building reflects changing trends in the development of Gothic architecture.

The Tower of San Romain was the earliest Gothic building of the cathedral. It stood for almost 800 years after its construction in 1145 and was destroyed during the Second World War during the shelling of Rouen by Allied troops. The cathedral was hit by 6 shells.

Historical fate

The history of the temple is dramatic. In 1200, during a fire, its nave collapsed, which led to the reconstruction of the entire building. In 1202, construction of a Gothic temple began on the Romanesque foundation laid by Rolland the Pedestrian, Duke of Normandy. The process dragged on for centuries, which is why there is a difference in the architectural style of the buildings.

The order of construction of Rouen Cathedral:

1. The Tower of San Romain was erected in the early period of Gothic art.
2. Work on the construction of the transept began in 1280, during the heyday of High Gothic.
3. The south tower belongs to the late, “flaming” period. The limestone used to build it was brought from Wales. The material has a yellowish tint, hence the name - Oil Tower. According to another version, this part of the temple was built with money from wealthy townspeople, which they paid as a tax for the right to eat butter during Lent.
4. Work on the Central Tower was completed in 1514. In 1557, a wooden spire covered with tin was erected on it. After a lightning strike in 1822, it burned down. The restoration was carried out taking into account the canons of construction of the 12th century and was completed only in 1876. The mass of the spire was 1200 tons, the height was 151 meters. Thanks to him, the cathedral remained the tallest building in the world until 1880.

Post-war restoration

The last serious restoration work in the temple was carried out after World War II. Like their distant ancestors, British and American troops again caused serious damage to the beautiful building. During the landing of the Allied troops in France, the nave and chapels were destroyed, and only the walls remained of the Saint-Romain Tower.

Restoration work was carried out with the financial participation of Great Britain, for which the Normandy land has special historical significance.

Current situation

Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral is the pearl of Rouen. The spire of the cathedral's Central Tower remains the tallest in France. Its greatness and beauty invariably resonate in the hearts of millions of people around the world.

On June 7, 2010, more than a thousand people gathered in the square in front of the city hall. In their hands they held posters with enlarged fragments of one of Claude Monet’s 30 paintings, “Rouen Cathedral.” Together they made a huge reproduction, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest “living painting”.

Church location

Rouen is listed as a city of art and history by the French Ministry of Culture. Although many architectural monuments were damaged during the Second World War, most of the historical buildings have been preserved.

Rouen Cathedral is located on the city's Cathedral Square. You can get there by tram M - stop Théâtre des Arts. Directly opposite the temple there is a tourist office, in the building of which there was a cafe in the 19th century. From its windows, Claude Monet (November 14, 1840 - December 5, 1926) admired the majestic building and made sketches for the paintings of his famous series. The impressionist painted Rouen throughout the last decade of the 19th century and, on more than thirty canvases, reflected in color the appearance of the temple at different times of the year and day.

Then you can walk along the street of the Great Clock to the Market Square, where Joan of Arc was executed in the 14th century. The street is intended only for pedestrians and is considered the oldest avenue in the city. Tourists are impressed by the half-timbered houses and the large astronomical clock on the arch of the 16th century.

Rouen is one of the top five French cities in terms of ancient historical heritage. Stendhal called it “the Athens of the Gothic style.”

Architecture and decoration of the building

Notre-Dame de Rouen is a unique architectural monument, the appearance of which reflects the stages of the formation of the canons of Gothic art.

Appearance

The three entrances to the temple are striking in their grandeur. The decoration of each is subordinated to a specific biblical story.

Main themes:

• the bas-relief of the first entrance tells about the Baptism of Jesus;
• the central one is dedicated to Our Lady;
• the third entrance is to the Holy Martyr Etienne, stoned.

Facade and towers

The façade of the building is decorated with numerous skyward arches, carvings and bas-reliefs from the lives of the Saints. The difference between the towers of the cathedral is noteworthy. Saint-Romain is an example of the laconic style of early Gothic, while Maslyannaya is the embodiment of the “flaming” period of the late Gothic.

Gothic wall decor elements of the Butter Tower:

• ornament;
• elongated arches;
• gables.

Stained glass

Visitors are particularly impressed by the cathedral's stained glass windows, most of which have been preserved since the 13th century. They are distinguished by a soft azure hue, which made glass from Normandy famous throughout Europe.

The light of azure rays penetrating the temple inspired the Russian symbolist poet Maximilian Voloshin (May 16 (28), 1877 - August 11, 1932) to create the cycle of poems “Rouen Cathedral” at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, the poet was already familiar with the masterpieces of the great Claude Monet.

Interior design

Moreover, the composition of the temple corresponds to the original plan of the old Romanesque basilica, since the basis of the structure is its foundation. The side aisles and the central nave are divided by arches, the corners of the transept are completed by towers, and columns surround the altar. At the base of Saint-Romain you can see a portico on columns of black stone with a statue of the prophet on top in the Romanesque style.

Shrines and relics of the temple

In a surprising way, the fate of Notre-Dame de Rouen reflected many eras of human history:

1. The Chapel of the Virgin Mary, where the main icons of the cathedral are located, impresses with its beauty and tranquility.
2. The shrine of the temple is a sarcophagus with the heart of King Richard I the Lionheart of England.
3. The legendary Joan of Arc died in Rouen; her statue settled in one of the chapels, which was commissioned by Great Britain, which became a kind of apology for the events of 1431, when the heroine was burned.

Crypt

Notre-Dame de Rouen was the burial place of the rulers and archbishops of Raun and Normandy. The crypt is the only part of the temple that has survived from Romanesque times. Here lies the first Duke of Normandy, Rolland, and his descendants, and there are sarcophagi of the Archbishops of Rouen from the Amboise family.

Worship services and other visiting opportunities

Cathedral address : Place de Notre-Dame de Rouen (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen) 76000 Rouen, France.

Opening hours:

• Monday - from 14.00 to 18.00;
• from Tuesday to Saturday - from 9.00 to 19.00;
• Sunday - from 8.00 to 18.00.

The cathedral still functions as a Roman Catholic church, so part of it is closed to the public during services. In summer, light shows are held on the western facade of the temple, mainly represented by paintings by Monet. Events start at 10 pm.

Notre Dame Cathedral on the map:

Video about Notre Dame de Rouen

This video demonstrates all the advantages of Notre Dame de Rouen Cathedral.

Rouen Cathedral- one of the most important architectural monuments of France from the Gothic era and the main one. With a height of 151 meters, Rouen Cathedral was the tallest building in the world from 1876 to 1880, later losing this title to the cathedral in Cologne, Germany.

History of Rouen Cathedral

The bishopric of Rouen was first mentioned in 314. The first basilica was built on the site of the current cathedral at the end of the 4th century. In 841, Rouen was attacked by Vikings and the church complex was burned. Due to political uncertainty in Rouen, the complex remained destroyed for a long time, until in 911 Rouen became the capital of the Duchy of Normandy. The first Duke of Rollo was baptized under the name Robert in the simple basilica. In accordance with the new capital status, in 1020 construction began on a new temple in the Romanesque style that reigned at that time (only the crypt remained from it).

The Romanesque church included a circular gallery and chapels radiating from the apse. The same plan was adopted by the new temple, the current Rouen Cathedral, the construction of which began in 1202. The foundation of the Romanesque church also served for the new cathedral.

The colonnade surrounds the vast altar space of the cathedral, which by that time had already become an outdated feature. The design of the transept is interesting: at its outer corners there are four towers in the Norman style, decorated with numerous rosettes. Construction of the transept of Rouen Cathedral began in 1280, during the mature Gothic period. In accordance with the popular style, the facades between the towers are made in the form of lace decoration.

The tower of Rouen Cathedral was built in 1514, during the Flamboyant Gothic period. The tower's spire, reaching a height of 148 meters, was made in 1829-76 under the leadership of Alavoine. Weighing 1,200 tons, it is the tallest cathedral spire in France. Over the years, the spire has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over time. Initially, in 1557, a wooden spire covered with tin was made. In 1822, it was struck by lightning and burned down. A year later it was proposed to make a new metal spire in the 12th century Gothic style. The project was approved in 1825 and completed almost 60 years later, adding four iron turrets to the building. Several years ago, a strong hurricane occurred in France, which carried away one of the towers of the Rouen Cathedral.

Of the original gates of the temple, only the northern portal of John the Theologian, decorated with scenes from the life of John the Theologian and John the Baptist, has survived. The other two portals were badly damaged in the 16th century.

Adjacent to Rouen Cathedral is the Archbishop's Palace, built at the same time, forming a single complex together with the cathedral.

On June 1, 1944, Rouen Cathedral was heavily damaged by Allied bombing. A strong fire started and part of the temple was destroyed. It took time to restore the temple.

Towers of Rouen Cathedral

The northern tower of Rouen Cathedral - Saint-Romain - has a height of 75 m. It is crowned by a bell tower in the “flaming Gothic” style. This is the oldest tower of the church, it was built in 1145. The tower was almost completely destroyed in a fire caused by the Allied bombing of Rouen on June 1, 1944. Only the walls survived from the original tower.

The southern “Oil Tower” (Tour de Beur), 76 m high, was built in 1485 entirely in the “flaming Gothic” style. The tower received such a strange name because it was built with money that people sacrificed for the remission of sin: they ate butter during Lent.

The interior of the Cathedral in Rouen is made in the form of a central nave, separated from the side aisles by an arched partition called a false triforium, which is located above the main arcades.

Sights of Rouen Cathedral

In the Rouen Cathedral you can admire the ancient tombstones of famous people: Richard the Lionheart, King Henry II, Bishop Amboise and other prominent personalities. The first Duke of Normandy, the Viking Rollo, and his son are buried in the cathedral.

The chapel of the Virgin Mary houses the main icon of the cathedral.

Rouen Cathedral and Monet

In the 90s of the 19th century, the famous impressionist Claude Monet created a series of paintings depicting the Rouen Cathedral at different times of the day and seasons. The cycle included 50 paintings, painted from three different points of view. The artist completed some of the paintings in his workshop in Giverny.

Notre-Dame Cathedral
Open from 8.00 to 19.00, Sun. until 18.00. In July and August, at Easter, excursions to the crypt and the Chapel of the Virgin Mary are held several times a day.

Any schoolchild knows what Notre Dame Cathedral looks like. At one time, he became an object of inspiration for the great impressionist Claude Monet, who created a series of paintings “Rouen Cathedral”. Several “cathedrals” were bought by Shchukin and Morozov for their collection. Now everyone knows that Rouen Cathedral is a muddy blue peaked walls appearing through a purple fog, so when meeting the original, a culture shock is possible.

The cathedral was built on the site of a small Romanesque church (1062), destroyed by fire in 1200. The building was erected from 1201 to 1521. The generous donations of John the Landless, King of England and Duke of Normandy, made it possible to design and lay the most advanced Gothic temple for that time: wide transepts, a huge choir. It is curious that the galleries were originally planned to be placed above the arcades, but by the time they were erected, the technology for constructing flying buttresses, developed during the construction of the cathedral in Chartres (13th century), made such a decision unnecessary. The cathedral is also famous for its spire - the tallest in Europe. This is a purely British creation, reminiscent of whose land Normandy was in the early Middle Ages. Not only the appearance of the temple, but also its interior amazes with its grandeur. Here, like nowhere else, there is a sense of spaciousness. The nave of the cathedral is covered with six-part freedoms, the lantern tower rises 51 m from the floor. The choir with 14 high columns and an elegant triforium is a true masterpiece of architectural harmony. The main icon of the cathedral is kept in the chapel of the Virgin Mary.

The first Norman Duke Rollo, who died in 933 and made Rouen the capital of his state, the English king Henry II, is buried in the cathedral, and the heart of the English king Richard is also kept. As you know, he had it like a lion. Notice also the Booksellers' Staircase inside.

The grandiose building was repaired throughout its existence for various reasons: the consequences of the fire of 1200, the Hundred Years' War, another fire in 1514, the atrocities of the Calvinists, a hurricane in 1683, the French Revolution, the burning of the spire in 1822 and bombings in the night on April 19, 1944, after which restoration continues to this day.
In the cathedral square, pay attention to the Butter Tower (Tour de Beurre), decorated in the Flaming Gothic style with butter-colored stone carvings. It was built with the money of parishioners who were willing to pay to atone for the sin of gluttony for the opportunity to eat butter during Lent.

Church of Saint-Maclou (Église St-Maclou) And Cemetery of Saint-Maclou (Aître St-Maclou)
Seeing the Church of Saint-Maclou (1437-1521), you are amazed how in just over a hundred years, “lanceolate Gothic” developed into “flaming Gothic,” which got its name for the shape of the windows, which resemble the flames of a candle. Having achieved constructive perfection, the architects focused on the external and internal decoration of the temples. The surviving decoration of the church (doors, stairs, gallery and organ frame) is made in the Renaissance style. At the western façade there is a fountain with two moving figures. There is also a similar fountain in Brussels.

Cathedral of Notre Dame of Rouen

A monument to the national heritage of France, the architectural dominant of Rouen and simply an incredibly majestic, elegant and solemn temple, Rouen Cathedral is one of the French must-see attractions.

The construction of the cathedral took no less than seven centuries, and under the Gothic façade lies the features of the ancient Romanesque style. Last but not least, the Rouen Cathedral is known for the paintings of the impressionist Claude Monet - the artist never tired of drawing inspiration from the play of light and shadow on its facade and created more than fifty canvases here.

Rouen Cathedral is a Gothic Catholic cathedral in the city of Rouen. Cathedral of the Archbishop of Rouen and Normandy. Classified as a National Heritage Site of France From 1876 to 1880, it was the tallest building in the world (151 meters), losing this title to Cologne Cathedral.

The existence of a Rouen bishop was first mentioned in 314.

It is known for certain that in this place, but already in the 9th century AD, there was an episcopal courtyard and two small churches with a cathedral in honor of the Mother of God, and a baptistery, where the sacrament of baptism was performed.

But, unfortunately, humanity will never be able to see what they looked like at that time.

In 841, the city of Rouen was once again raided by the Vikings, who, as is known from history, had, to put it mildly, a “bad habit” of leaving behind only ashes.

The bishop's courtyard, along with two churches, was destroyed. At that time, the political situation in the country was extremely unstable, and it was for this reason that the churches were not restored for a long time.

It was so destined by fate, but subsequently, it was the Vikings who made a lot of effort to rebuild the temple. The fame of the brutal reprisals of the Vikings against everything that came their way intimidated all of Europe so much that the king of France, who reigned in 911, made concessions to the conquerors and agreed to make Normandy a Duchy.

1822

And besides this, he married his daughter to the Viking leader Rollan and, in turn, put forward a condition for the newlywed: the newly-minted duke certainly had to be baptized. Rolland did not contradict and was baptized in a simple basilica that stood on the site of the current cathedral under the name Robert

.

Having thus founded the dynasty of the Norman dukes, Rolland in 1020 (and subsequently his heirs) began building a new cathedral in the Romanesque style.

From those times to the present day, only one crypt has survived. All other parts of the temple were built using the Gothic style of architecture.

Northern nave of the cathedral.

Archaeological excavations show that the episcopal complex of Rouen consisted of two churches (dedicated to Our Lady - the cathedral - and St. Stephen), and probably a baptistery.

Chapel of the Virgin from the Archbishop's courtyard.

Surprisingly, this tallest cathedral in France, classified as a historical heritage monument in France, has experienced various disasters more than once during its centuries-old history.

Cloister of the Canons of Rouen Cathedral

Here are just a few of them: one of the naves, built in a romantic style, was destroyed by fire, in the 18th century the cathedral survived a severe hurricane, in 1944 six exploding bombs were dropped on it, and in December 1999 again in As a result of a severe storm, the bell was damaged. But, nevertheless, despite all the vicissitudes, the cathedral has survived quite well to this day.

Of course, this is due to the merit of those craftsmen and talented restorers who, in spite of everything, again and again took on the revival of the shrine.

The oldest part of the Gothic cathedral is the north tower (Saint-Romain Tower), built in 1145.

It completely burned out on June 1, 1944 after the bombing; only the walls remained from the original building.The north tower of Saint-Romain (1202), 75 m high, is topped with a bell tower in the "flaming style", while the Butter Tower, Tour de Beur (1487), 76 m high, is entirely built in the "flaming style" "

The south tower (Oil Tower) was built in 1485.

The nave was built in 1200 when the existing Romanesque nave collapsed due to fire.

You should also definitely pay attention to the three magnificent entrances to the cathedral: the first is dedicated to John the Baptist (above him there is a bas-relief depicting the baptism of Christ), the second, central, to the Mother of God, the third to the martyr Saint Etienne, who died by stoning

.Tower of St. Romain

Low cell of the tower of St. Romain with the baptistery (twentieth century) and the statue of the Virgin and Child (17th-18th centuries) from the Beaucaire hospital.

The most ancient elements of the cathedral can be seen by going down to the baptistery, located under the Saint-Romain Tower. The stained glass windows of Rouen Cathedral are almost in no way inferior to the famous “glass Bible” of Chartres, and the shade of blue here is no worse than Chartres

Reverse view of the library portal of the Rouen Cathedral.

Tympanum of the central portal representing the tree of Jesse

The only surviving original portal is the northern one, the portal of St. John the Evangelist, representing scenes from the life of St. John the Evangelist and John the Baptist. It was restored several times after 1769.

The other two portals were heavily damaged in the 16th century.

Portal of Saint-Etienne.tympanum

The Archbishop's Palace, which forms a single complex with the cathedral, is a contemporary of the Gothic cathedral.

Portal Saint-Jean.Tympanum

The vast altar space of the cathedral is surrounded by a colonnade, which was already a somewhat archaic feature for that time.

The transept, whose construction began in 1280, is interesting from a constructive point of view. At its outer corners there are four towers in the local Norman style, richly decorated with rosettes. The facades between the towers, with their shining lace decoration, are typical of the mature, so-called. radiant Gothic after 1275.

Central facade

In the interior, the main nave is separated from the two side naves by a curious arched barrier, called the false triforium, located above the main arcades.

Transverse nave

Central nave

All the naves, the main one and four side naves, are clearly identified on the western facade, built mainly during the 13th century, and in 1509-1530 decorated with wonderful Gothic stone lace.

The height of the ceiling in the center of the cathedral, above which the spire is erected (the round dark hole in the ceiling in the photo), is 51 meters. This is a twenty-story building, just a minute. The height of the flow in the gallery is 28 meters.

The length of the passage is 137 meters - a small tram stop. Initially, balconies were planned under the roof, but then they were replaced with simply openwork windows flooding the cathedral with light. What remained from the idea of ​​balconies were semicircular arches under the windows filled with stone.

Like any medieval city, Rouen had its own specialization, and even more than one. I'll probably list everything at once. Since the 13th century, Norman stained glass has been considered perhaps the best in Europe.

The wool business brought in even more income. Rouen housed weaving factories and woolen warehouses. Finally, already in those years the trade in antiques flourished. What’s wrong, things from the 10th century could well have been considered antiques in the 13th century.

A third of the population of Rouen - 6,000 people - were Jews, and where there were Jews, there was money, diamond cutting and antiques. Subsequently, all the Jews were expelled from the city, killing quite a few of them, but the craft lingered, and to this day the Rouen antique shops are rated very highly.

Stained glass technology underwent radical changes in the 14th century. Glass has become more durable. Almost all the stained glass in Rouen dates back to the 14th century, but this particular cathedral has stained glass from 800 years ago. It is curious that some of them are signed by the artist who created them. 800 years ago, casting colored glass was still considered the high art of individual production.

The 13th century stained glass window tells the story of St. Julian the Hospitaller.

Based on this stained glass window, Flaubert wrote one of his three fairy tales. The legend of Julian itself is lousy and full of inconsistencies. Allegedly, at birth, evil witches conjured on him that he would kill his parents. Initially, Julian’s dad wanted to kill him right away, so as not to bring his child to sin, but his mother objected and locked him in the house. At the age of 12, he left home and married (!) a widow (?).

Despite the difference in age, he and his wife lived well, had children, and one day the old people decided to come and visit their grandchildren. Julian was in the field, and his wife put their ancestors to rest after a long journey in her and Julian’s bed. A well-wisher was immediately found who informed Julian that while he was waving a sickle in the field, his wife was not wasting his time. Julian hurried home, where, seeing the couple in his bed, he hacked them both to death, without knowing who was there.

Thus the witches' prediction came true. Realizing his mistake, Julian left home to atone for his sin, somehow became rich, and used all the money to build hospitals for the poor. That’s why he remained Hospitaller in people’s memory, and over time he became a saint. Which does not mean that you can kill your parents with impunity, even if you really want to. Apparently, Flaubert's tale has the same unexpected moral. Do not read.

Transept

Inside the temple is the tomb of the first Norman Duke, Rolland the Pedestrian. There is also a stone sarcophagus decorated with a sculpture of King Richard I, better known among the people as Richard the Lionheart, in which the very heart of the brave king, who was also the Duke of Normandy in 1189-1199, is buried.

Over the long history of the cathedral, the spire was destroyed and restored several times. The wooden spire, covered with tin, was installed in 1557, but, damaged by lightning, burned down in 1822.

A year later, it was proposed to construct a metal frame and spire in the Gothic style of the 12th century. The project was approved in 1825 and completed in 1884 with four turrets built by a local iron master.

The cathedral lost one of these turrets just a few years ago - during a strong hurricane that swept through northern France.

The cathedral suffered from a hurricane in the 18th century, and then received severe damage during the Allied bombing of Rouen in 1944 during the Second World War: on April 19, the nave and chapels were severely damaged (hit by seven bombs, of which six exploded), and after the bombing on May 31, it burned down north tower. During a strong storm in December 1999, the bell tower was damaged.

Rollon's tomb in Rouen Cathedral

Dimensions
Length: 137 m, Façade width: 61.60 m, Nave length: 60 m, Nave width: 11.30 m. Nave height: 28 m. Lamp hanging height: 51 m.
Length of the choir: 34.30 m. Width of the choir: 12.70 m. Height of the Saint-Romain Tower: 82 m. Height of the Butter Tower: 75 m. Height of the spire: 151 m.

Stairs to the library

Before visiting the cathedral, it is worth refreshing your memory of Monet’s famous landscape “Rouen Cathedral at Noon,” as well as the other thirty paintings by the master, which immortalized the temple in all the splendor of natural light.

Claude Monet. Rouen Cathedral, portal and tower of Saint-Romain, in the light of the sun. Harmony of blue and gold. Orsay Museum, Paris

In the 1890s, Claude Monet created a series of paintings showing the cathedral in different lighting, different climates and at different times of day. 50 paintings were created. They are painted from three different points, giving three different views of the cathedral. Some of the paintings were completed in the artist's studio in Giverny. Claude Monet painted Rouen Cathedral for more than two years.

Overcast

In total, he produced 47 sketches and 31 paintings depicting the cathedral in different lighting. Monet did not advertise his activities, but, on the contrary, carefully concealed them. He rented two apartments in houses on Cathedral Square, to which he came incognito. The artist looked at the cathedral from behind a curtain, so as not to be noticed from the street.

Since the appearance of the cathedral depended on the lighting, several paintings stood on the easels at once, and at each specific moment the one that corresponded to the weather was painted. In 1894, when the work was completed, Monet organized a sales exhibition dedicated to the cathedral. Criticism, which is usually unfriendly towards impressionist artists, responded quite favorably this time, and Monet successfully sold several works from a series of three to five thousand francs. Just recently, one of these paintings was resold for $24 million.

In 1969, Roy Lichtenstein created the triptych "Rouen Cathedral".

Rouen Cathedral is over 800 years old. By the way, it’s a pity that the frame is not stereometric. The central tower with a spire is 70 meters deep from the facade. It is placed exactly in the spatial center of the cathedral, which is very unusual. Two towers overlook the square in front of the façade of the cathedral: the left one, built in the 12th-15th centuries (300 years to build a tower! This is an example of long-term construction) and the right one, dated 1506, which was built in just 20 years.

On June 6, 2010, over a thousand people occupied the entire square in front of the city hall in Rouen (600 m²). Each of them held in their hands an enlarged fragment of Claude Monet’s painting “Rouen Cathedral”. The "Living Picture" was photographed and filmed from a helicopter to provide evidence for the Guinness Book of World Records.

Johannes Bosboom - View of the Paris Quay and the Cathedral at Rouen

Library

Archbishop's Palace

Façade sur la cour d'honneur of the archbishopric

Buste du pape Pie IX.

Gardens of the Archdiocese in the lower part of St. Maclou.

Notre Dame Pavilion to the southeast.

Pavilion Saint-Roman to the northeast of the gardens.

Portal of the monumental staircase leading to the Cathedral Hall

Staircase towers and mansion from the courtyard.

Gallery of the monastery of the College of Albano.

Dominique Seridji and others. Le guide du patrimonie en France. — Center des monuments nationaux (MONUM), 2002. — P. 541
News. Ru

In the historical center of the capital of Normandy, Rouen, bearing the expressive title of the city of a hundred spiers, there is a magnificent building of Gothic architecture, which, along with the island-monastery, is the main attraction of this northern region of the country. This Cathedral of Notre Dame of Rouen, more often called Rouen Cathedral, residence of the Archbishop of Rouen and the tallest church in France. The cathedral is one of the most famous thanks to its unique architecture, historical relics and, not least, a series of paintings by the great impressionist artist Claude Monet.

History of Rouen Cathedral

The first Christian basilica on the site of the modern cathedral was built in the Roman period and dates back to the end of the 4th century. After the collapse of Charlemagne's empire in the 9th century, France was subjected to devastating raids by the Norman Vikings. The coastal part of Neustria, as northwestern France was then called, was especially vulnerable due to its geographical location. In 841, the Vikings captured Rouen and the basilica was burned. In conditions of constant Norman threat and chaos in the country, they did not restore the temple.

New construction, ironically, was started by those who burned the basilica - the Vikings. In 911, one of the Viking leaders Rollon (Rollo) received Normandy into fief with the title of duke from the king Karl Rustic subject to conversion to Christianity. The church was restored, and in 1020 construction began on a new cathedral in the Romanesque style.

Construction took a very long time, since it was carried out mainly with donations from parishioners. This explains the eclecticism of the building's architecture. In the 12th century, the Gothic style came into fashion, and the cathedral was completed in accordance with new trends.

The first Gothic part of the building was the north tower of Saint-Romain, the construction of which was completed in 1145. During a fire in 1200, the nave of the temple collapsed, requiring radical reconstruction of the entire building. In 1202, large-scale work began on the foundations of the Romanesque Cathedral, and the new building was built in the Gothic style. From the Romanesque building, only the crypt has survived to this day.

During the mature (high) Gothic period, the transept of the cathedral was rebuilt (work began in 1280). The second southern tower was built much later, in 1485, when the late, “flaming” Gothic style dominated. This explains the significant stylistic difference between different parts of the temple. The limestone for the new tower was brought from Wales, so it differs in color from the rest of the cathedral with a distinct yellow tint. According to the most popular version, it was this circumstance that caused the tower to receive the name “Maslyany”.

There is another explanation. According to some sources, the construction of the tower was funded by money paid by wealthy citizens as a tax for the right to eat butter during Lent, which gave rise to this ironic nickname.

The central tower of the cathedral was built in 1514. In 1557, a spire made of wood and covered with tin was added to it. In 1822, the spire burned down from a lightning strike. It was decided to build a new one, but in full compliance with the canons of the 12th century. The project was approved in 1825, but its implementation dragged on for five decades. Finally, in 1876, the spire was ready. Its mass exceeded 1200 tons, and the height of the cathedral together with the spire was 151 m. This made the Rouen Cathedral the tallest building in the world, which it remained until 1880, when it took first place

The last large-scale work on the cathedral was carried out after the Second World War. During the Allied landings in Normandy in 1944, British and American pilots, including descendants of the Vikings who burned the first basilica, rained down bombs on Rouen. The cathedral suffered enormous damage. The nave and chapels were especially damaged, and only the outer walls remained of the Saint-Romain Tower. Despite serious damage, the cathedral was quickly restored thanks to significant financial assistance from the British, for whom, for historical reasons, Normandy has special significance.

In the post-war period, the cathedral did not suffer from serious disasters and periodically only needed cosmetic repairs. The exception was the hurricane of 1999, which demolished one of the towers surrounding the central spire.

Rouen Cathedral, monument to five centuries

It is a unique architectural monument, on the example of which one can trace the evolution of the development of the Gothic style, from early Gothic (Saint-Romain Tower) to the late “flaming” (central and Butter towers). This is a majestic and at the same time elegant temple, dominating the entire city.

The size of the cathedral is impressive. Its length is 137 m, the width along the facade is 61.6 m, the ceiling height under the main tower is 51 m. The height of both façade towers was initially 75 meters, but after the bell tower was added over the Saint-Romain Tower, its height increased to 82 meters.

Acquaintance with the cathedral begins with the facade. This is a typically Gothic structure, decorated with openwork carvings and numerous skyward arches. The magnificent portals decorated with statues and reliefs attract attention. The central portal is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the left one represents scenes from the lives of John the Evangelist and John the Baptist, the right one was erected in honor of Stephen the First Martyr. Of the three portals, only the portal of St. John the Evangelist retains its original appearance from the first years of the cathedral’s existence. The remaining two were heavily damaged during the religious wars of the 16th century and were radically rebuilt.

The two towers of the façade present an interesting contrast. Apart from the striking difference in color, they are created in different architectural styles. Saint-Romain is made in the strict, laconic style of early Gothic. The Butter Tower was created in accordance with the requirements of the “flaming” Gothic style and is distinguished by its pretentiousness, abundance of patterns and ornaments, greatly elongated arches and pediments.

The oldest part of the cathedral, the Romanesque crypt, is located under the Saint-Romain Tower. The plan of the current cathedral completely repeats its Romanesque predecessor, since it was built on its foundation. The central nave is separated from the side aisles by arched partitions. The corners of the transverse nave, transept, are decorated with external towers. This is a feature of typically Norman architecture. The vast altar space is surrounded by columns, which is a heritage of the Romanesque style, which developed on the basis of Roman traditions.

Rouen Cathedral has always been famous for its stained glass windows. Many of them have miraculously survived from the 13th century, when glass from Normandy was considered one of the best in Europe. Stained glass windows are distinguished by their wonderful azure color, thanks to which Norman glass gained recognition. Art critics call this shade “Chartres blue.” The scenes of the stained glass windows are dedicated to the life path and exploits of revered saints.

In general, the interior of the cathedral is not very colorful. Multifaceted columns, arches, and light vaults are almost undecorated and are characterized by classical Gothic restraint.

Shrines and attractions of Rouen Cathedral

The main relic of Rouen Cathedral is considered to be the sarcophagus of King Richard I the Lionheart of England, who was also Duke of Normandy. According to chronicles, the king bequeathed to bury his body in Anjou, his brain in Poitou, and his heart in Rouen. It is curious that Richard deprived England itself.

The lead box with Richard's heart was brought to Rouen and placed in a sarcophagus, where it lay for seven centuries. During the post-war restoration, scientists decided to open the box, in which they found nothing but a handful of dust. Now the box is in one of the underground vaults of the cathedral, and the sarcophagus is empty.

Richard's ancestors are buried in the cathedral - the first Duke of Normandy, Rollon, and his son, Duke William I Longsword. The sarcophagi of these three rulers of Normandy are decorated with magnificent figures of the buried themselves and attract many history buffs. The descendants of Rollon, the archbishops of Rouen from the family and other prominent personalities are also buried in the temple.

Also interesting is another famous cathedral, which served as the last refuge of the royal person - where the tomb of Charlemagne is located.

The main icons of the cathedral are displayed in the amazingly beautiful Chapel of the Virgin Mary. The blue light pouring through the narrow stained glass windows, patterned arches, carved panels and benches instill peace and tranquility.

In one of the chapels of the temple there is a statue of Joan of Arc. The statue was created by order of England, and this is no coincidence. This is a kind of apology to France - after all, it was in Rouen that the legendary daughter of France was burned at the stake by the British on May 30, 1431.

Rouen Cathedral is included in the list of national heritage monuments of France. Many tourists visiting France come to look at the magnificent temple. Eloquent evidence of the indelible impression made by the cathedral on the viewer is a series of wonderful paintings by the famous Claude Monet, whom the cathedral inspired to create 30 paintings. The building is captured in different seasons, different times of day and from different sides, thus the cycle creates a unique gallery of views of this symbol of the capital of Normandy.

Also in Rouen, a light show is regularly held, where the Rouen Cathedral, like, becomes the main operating object of the grandiose performance.