Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port facts for kids
The Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port is a very old church in Clermont-Ferrand, France. It was built in a style called Romanesque, which was popular a long time ago. This church used to be a special kind of church called a collegiate church, where a group of priests, known as canons, lived and prayed. It is located in the Port area of the city, near the main cathedral.
History of the Basilica
People believe this church was first built in the 500s by a bishop named Avitus of Clermont. Later, in the 1000s or 1100s, it was rebuilt after being burned down by the Normans. A group of canons started living and serving here around the mid-900s.
On May 3, 1886, the church was officially named a minor basilica. This is a special title given by the Pope.
In the 1800s, a bell tower was added to the church. Also, the old Romanesque roof tiles were replaced with heavy lava slabs. But later, these lava slabs were removed, and the roof was put back to look as close to its original style as possible. A big restoration project happened inside the church between 2007 and 2008. Workers cleaned all the stone, fixed old repairs, and restored the paintings.
On December 7, 2008, a special statue of the Virgin Mary, called Notre-Dame du Port ("Our Lady of the Port"), was brought back to the church. It had been kept safe in the Clermont Cathedral during the repairs. This event marked the church's reopening to the public.
In 1998, the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port became a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was recognized as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France, which are old pilgrimage routes.
The name "du Port" means "of the Port." People think it comes from the church being built in a district called "Port." In Latin, portus could mean "market" rather than a "seaport." However, in the Middle Ages, this area wasn't really a big market place. Other parts of the city were much busier for trade.
What the Basilica Looks Like
The Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port is one of five important Romanesque churches in the Auvergne region of France. The others are in Issoire, Orcival, Saint-Nectaire, and Saint-Saturnin.
The church is built from a type of sandstone called arkose. It looks very balanced and harmonious. Some people believe this is because it was built using a special mathematical idea called the Golden Number.
The church is shaped like a Latin cross when you look at it from above. It has a main hall called a nave with six sections. On each side of the nave are lower hallways called side aisles. The church also has a transept, which is like the arms of the cross shape. Each arm has a small, round chapel. At the front of the church is the quire, where the clergy sit. Around the quire is a walkway called an ambulatory. Four small chapels open off this walkway, forming a beautiful rounded end called a chevet. This chevet, with its detailed mosaics, is a great example of Romanesque art from Auvergne. The tops of the columns, called capitals, are very detailed. They show scenes from the Bible and also from an old poem called Psychomachia.
Gallery
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The chevet of the church covered in snow.
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The west door of the basilica.
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A plan of the church from an old book by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1856).
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A carving showing the Dormition (Mary falling asleep) and the Assumption of the Virgin (Mary being taken to heaven).
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A close-up of the Assumption carving.
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A detailed view of one of the column capitals.
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Another detailed view of a column capital.
See also
- History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
