Basilica of Saint Severinus, Bordeaux facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Basilica of Saint Severinus, BordeauxBasilique Saint-Seurin de Bordeaux |
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A view of the basilica from the Place des Martyrs de la Résistance.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bordeaux |
| Location | |
| Location | Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Minor basilica |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 11th century |
| Spire height | |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | Part of Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iv), (vi) |
| Inscription | 1998 (22nd Session) |
The Basilica of Saint Severinus (in French, Basilique Saint-Seurin de Bordeaux) is an important church in Bordeaux, France. It was built around the early 11th century.
In 1998, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. It is part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. This includes three main churches in Bordeaux: Saint Severinus, the Basilica of St. Michael, and St. Andrew's Cathedral.
Contents
History
Very Old Beginnings
The basilica stands on an ancient Christian burial ground. This cemetery dates back to the 4th century. We know this because of an old stone carving found there. It was a tombstone for someone named Flavinus. This stone shows that Christians lived in Bordeaux a very long time ago. It was found during digging in 1909. Today, you can see it at the Museum of Aquitaine in Bordeaux.
Legends of its Founding
The basilica is named after Saint Severinus. He was the fourth bishop and a special saint of Bordeaux. The church's story began with the Abbey of Saint Severinus in the 4th century.
Saint Severinus came to Bordeaux from a faraway land in the 4th century. He met Bishop Amandus. A writer named Gregory of Tours tells their story. He wrote that Bishop Amandus had a dream. In the dream, God told him to meet Saint Severinus. When they met, they hugged and prayed together. Then they went into the church singing. This is how Severinus became a bishop in Bordeaux.
Another famous story is about Roland, a brave knight. He was the nephew of Charlemagne, a famous emperor. Roland died in a battle. The legend says Charlemagne brought Roland's special horn, called an Oliphant, to the church. He placed it on the altar. The famous Song of Roland mentions this. Pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela would visit the church to see this horn.
Architecture
Mid-5th Century Building
Even with the legends, we know a religious building was here by the mid-5th century. It might have been a temple or a small chapel. This early building was destroyed in the 9th century. This happened during attacks by the Vikings.
11th–13th Centuries
In the early 11th century, the church leaders decided to rebuild. They built a strong Romanesque church. It was shaped like a basilica. Many pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela visited it. The church leaders would guide them to the choir and down into the crypt. This way, pilgrims could see the holy places. During this time, the basilica was used for important ceremonies. New leaders of Bordeaux would come here to take power.
Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the main part of the church, called the nave, and the choir were built. In the 13th century, a southern entrance was added. It has a porch with a bell tower built in the Renaissance style. A large Gothic entrance was also built for the old cemetery. This entrance has a big arch with two smaller arches next to it. It is decorated with 14 carved statues. These statues show the twelve apostles and two female figures.
The church has three decorated areas above its doors, called tympana. The main one shows scenes of the Resurrection and Judgment. The left one shows holy women visiting the tomb. The right one shows Saint Severinus arriving, as seen in Saint Amand's dream. The five-sided porch leading to this entrance was built later.
14th–18th Centuries
During the 14th and 15th centuries, several small chapels were built. One was the Chapel of Madonna of the Rose. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It has an altar that was blessed in 1444. Its style is called flamboyant Gothic. This style was popular in France and England in the late 1400s.
Parts of the church's roof fell twice, in 1566 and 1698. This caused a lot of damage. In the early 18th century, an architect named Jean-Baptiste Augier repaired them. He added strong pillars to support the roof. During these repairs, the floor was raised because it was very uneven. This meant the crypt was buried, and the old western porch was changed a lot.
19th Century
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The Basilica of Saint Severinus was not damaged during the French Revolution. But it went through many big changes in the 1800s.
In the late 1820s, the front of the church was restored. An architect named Pierre-Alexandre Poitevin designed a new front in a neo-Romanesque style. A new gate was built, which covered the old Romanesque porch.
A famous sculptor named Dominique Fortuné Maggesi decorated the front. He added statues of Saint Severinus and Saint Amand at the entrance. Their meeting is shown on the tympanum above the door. He also carved statues of Saint John and Saint Peter. These statues helped make the front of the church look more like its Romanesque bell tower.
In 1840, the Basilica of Saint Severinus was listed as a Historic Monument. After this, the choir area was completely changed. A new marble altar was made. Arches were opened, and two new chapels were built. One was for Saint Fort, and the other for the Sacred Heart. These were built on the north side of the church. The artist Joseph Villiet created the beautiful stained glass windows in the nave. They show stories from the Bible and legends about the basilica.
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Detail of the stained glass showing Saint Severinus and Saint Amand meeting.
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Stained glass showing the life of Saint Severinus.
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Stained glass showing the Queen of Sheba and Solomon.
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Stained Glass of the Kings, showing the Black Prince kneeling before the Bishop of Amenieu.
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Stained glass showing the Tree of Jesse, from the Bible.
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Large stained glass window on the left side of the nave, showing saints around the Virgin Mary.
20th Century
After being named a historic monument in 1840, the basilica received another honor. In 1998, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was because it is an important stop on one of the Ways of Saint James of Compostela.
Medieval Furnishings
Like many old churches, the Basilica of Saint Severinus lost most of its original furniture. But some old pieces still remain. There are several beautiful alabaster altarpieces from the 15th century. One of them, showing the life of the Virgin Mary, is in the Chapel of the Madonna of the Rose. Another is at the main altar. It tells the story of Saint Severinus.
The church also has an ornate 15th-century pulpit. This special seat was used by bishops. It is very important because a new archbishop of Bordeaux must take an oath on the relics of Saint Severinus here.
The choir still has 32 of its original 47 stalls from the 15th century. These seats were for the church's chapter members. They are decorated with images of saints, prophets, and funny scenes.
The Basilica of Saint Severinus has several well-preserved medieval statues. These include a 13th-century statue of Our Lady of Glad Tidings. There is also a 14th-century alabaster statue of Our Lady of the Rose. Another statue is of Saint Martial.
Roland's Oliphant, the famous horn, was in the basilica until the 17th century. But it disappeared before the French Revolution.
Crypts
Church Crypt
The original crypt was part of a 5th-century building. It was used as a burial place. This is shown by the sarcophagi found there. These stone coffins are believed to hold the remains of early bishops.
In 1635, parts of the church were changed. Three special areas were made for sarcophagi. One was for the tomb of Saint Fort. People used to visit Saint Fort's tomb for healing. Mothers would bring their sons there to make them "strong."
Archaeological Crypt
The archaeological crypt is a very old part of an early Christian cemetery. It is one of the oldest in Bordeaux. It was located between Place des Martyrs de la Resistance and Rue Judaïque. People believe that this cemetery was blessed by Christ and seven bishops. Tradition also says that many brave knights from the battle of Roncevaux are buried here. This is why it was a popular place for pilgrims in the Middle Ages.
From 1909 to 1910, digging was done south of the church. They found many graves stacked on top of each other. These graves dated from the 4th to the 13th centuries. In the late 1950s and 1960s, a man named Raymond Duru worked hard to open the crypt to the public. Thanks to his efforts, people have been able to visit it since the 1980s.
Today
The basilica has been restored in recent years. The roofs and upper parts of the building were repaired. The chapels of Madonna of the Rose and Saint John were also restored. The choir area was also fixed up.
In 2005, the Gothic entrance was restored. The city of Bordeaux helped pay for this. During this work, they found traces of the original colors on the entrance. This discovery helps visitors imagine how the entrance looked long ago.
See also
In Spanish: Basílica de San Severino de Burdeos para niños
