Le Puy Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Le Puy Cathedral |
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| Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady, Le Puy | |
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Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation du Puy
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| 45°2′44″N 3°53′5″E / 45.04556°N 3.88472°E | |
| Location | Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne |
| Country | France |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral, Basilica |
| Dedication | Annunciation |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Basilica |
| Style | Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 11th century |
| Completed | 13th century |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Le Puy-en-Velay |
Le Puy Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy) is a famous Roman Catholic church in Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne, France. It is a very old and important building, recognized as a national monument.
For a long time, even before the time of Charlemagne, people have made special trips to this cathedral. It was a popular place for pilgrimage (a religious journey). It also served as a resting stop for pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Since 1998, it has been part of a special UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it's recognized as important to the world's history and culture. The cathedral is also the main church for the Bishop of Le Puy.
The cathedral sits on the highest point of the city, near a large rock called the Rocher Corneille. It was built over many centuries, from the 5th to the 15th century. This mix of styles gives it a unique look. Most of the building you see today was built in the first half of the 12th century.
Contents
The Black Madonna and Pilgrimage History
The town of Anicium, where the cathedral stands, has been around since at least the 6th century. Builders used pieces of old Roman temples in the cathedral's walls. They also found Roman tombs and early Christian art nearby. These findings show that a bishop named Scutaire lived here a very long time ago.
Early Christian records mention a famous statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. It was made of ebony wood and sometimes dressed in fancy clothes. This kind of statue, called a Black Madonna, was popular in many French churches. It helped attract many pilgrims. The original statue was destroyed in 1794 during the French Revolution. However, many drawings of it still exist. A new statue was made in the 19th century and is now on the altar.
Starting in the 10th century, Le Puy became a major stop for pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostela. Because so many pilgrims came, the church staff grew to forty priests. They even built a special guesthouse, called an "Hôtel-Dieu," for poor pilgrims. Many chapels, convents, and schools were built around the cathedral because of the pilgrimage.
How the Cathedral Grew Over Time
The new cathedral and its cloister (a covered walkway around a courtyard) were built near the old church. They were placed at the highest point in town, next to a huge rock. The cloister was built like a fort, with walls and strong gates. Only the clergy (church leaders) controlled it. It even had its own prison in a stone tower.
Digs in the 1990s found parts of the first church's foundations from the 9th century. These were used again in the 10th century to build a bigger church. This church was in the Carolingian style. It had a main area (nave), side aisles, a choir, and flat ends.
In the mid-11th century, the church got even bigger. The choir stayed the same, but a large transept (the part that crosses the main body of the church) was added. The new nave was wider and had four sections. Its rounded ceilings were supported by strong pillars. The middle of the transept had a dome, with an octagonal tower on top.
The new cathedral was built on a steep hill. So, a new way to enter from the town below was needed. A new entrance area (porch) was built on the west side, just below the cathedral. A stairway led up to the nave. In the 12th century, this lower porch was made larger with two new chapels. The main entrance was given big cedar wood doors. The huge west front, covering the porch, was built with colorful stone designs. From the bottom porch to the top nave, the whole building was decorated with colorful stone and paintings.
Later in the 12th century, parts of the nave walls were rebuilt. The Chapel of Saint Martin was also rebuilt on the west side. New dome-like ceilings replaced the old ones in the nave. The pointed Gothic arch appeared for the first time. New porches were added to the corners of the transept and the east end.
As more pilgrims came, the church complex grew around the cloister. This area was decorated with rich sculptures and colorful paintings. A grim, square tower, the Saint-Mayol tower, was also built. It served as a prison for the church leaders. Most of this tower was taken down in 1948.
On the west side of the complex was the Hotel-Dieu. This was a large guesthouse for poor pilgrims. The Machicoulis building (named for its castle-like top) was a storage area and kitchen for the church staff and the Hotel-de-Dieu. It could also be used for defense. Each of its five floors had its own entrance. East of the cloister was the chapter house. This was the main office and living area for the clergy, built in the late 12th century. The oldest part to the east is a Romanesque entrance from the mid-12th century. It used to be the entrance to the medieval hospital.
After 1375, the west front needed strengthening. Some of the nave's ceilings had to be rebuilt. In 1427, an earthquake badly damaged the building. In 1527, the ceilings of the north transept had to be rebuilt. In 1516, lightning struck the bell tower. This caused pieces to fall onto the roof of the Holy Crucifix chapel below. Some Romanesque parts were changed. Larger windows were put in the north transept and nearby nave areas. The whole complex suffered from poor upkeep. Leaky roofs damaged the stone ceilings below.
17th and 18th Centuries
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Procession-20130324.jpg|A procession in 1630, marking the end of a plague }} In the 17th century, Bishop Armand de Bethune started making changes. He added clear glass windows for more light and fancy furniture. He also installed a new organ, a new pulpit, and a new bishop's throne. He built a monument for King John III Sobieski of Poland, who was related to him.
Between 1723 and 1727, the Grand Altar of the Virgin was put in place. It has colorful marble and sculptures by Caffieri, an Italian artist. It now holds a copy of the original Black Madonna statue.
By the late 18th century, the cathedral needed major repairs. But Bishop Marie-Joseph de Galard decided to redecorate the inside instead. He moved the main stairway away from the nave to the cloister. A new door was cut into the west wall. The medieval screen that separated the choir and nave was removed. The inside was stripped of its medieval look and redecorated with plaster and fake ceilings. Some parts that were too hard to change were just left alone. The north transept was closed, and the south transept became a sleeping area.
19th Century Renovations
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Intérieur et extérieur de la cathédrale du Puy en 1836.jpg|The cathedral in 1836, before it was restored File:Projet de verrière pour la cathédrale du Puy (1848) - Archives nationales (France).jpg|A design for a new stained glass window from 1848 File:L'architecture romane (1888) (14581780437).jpg|The church in 1888, after its restoration }} The French Revolution closed the cathedral, and it got even worse. A new bishop, Bonnard, took charge in 1823. A big renovation project finally started in 1844. This was led by architect Aymond Gilbert Mallay, with help from Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Mallay wanted to remove all the recent changes and make the cathedral look medieval again.
He tore down the new bell tower over the transept. He completely rebuilt the transept and its ceilings. He made the transept taller with new pillars. He also covered the nave's ceilings with new Romanesque-style domes, even though they weren't there before. He restored the old east end. He also suggested adding Neo-Romanesque paintings inside the transept. But Prosper Mérimée, who was in charge of restoring old French buildings, said no to this idea.
Mallay changed the stairway to the nave on the north side and built a new one on the south. In 1846, he tore down the old west front and rebuilt it completely. Then he rebuilt the first two sections of the nave. The cloister, next to the church, was completely redone between 1850 and 1852. Mallay retired in 1853, but others continued his work. They tore down the old east end and replaced it with a new one that matched the transept and nave. They also removed the Gothic sacristy (a room for church items) because it didn't fit the Romanesque style. The last project was the bell tower, which was greatly changed and had its top three sections rebuilt.
20th Century Improvements
In 1905, the church officially became property of the French government. However, the Catholic Church was allowed to use it. In 1989, the French government started a new project to clean and improve the building. The windows were cleaned to let in more light. The old stairway, closed in the 18th century, was reopened. The choir got a new altar. The murals were cleaned, and the organ was moved to a new spot in the nave and fixed in 1999. In 2004 and 2005, the west front and its murals were also cleaned and restored.
Cathedral Layout
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="250px" File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale10.JPG|A plan of the cathedral File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale11.JPG|The cathedral, cloister, and other buildings seen from above }}
Exploring the Cathedral
The West Front
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Cathedrale N.D du puy en velay.JPG|The path leading to the west front File:Le Puy en Velay cathedral exit.JPG|Looking west from inside the central entrance }} The cathedral's design is shaped by the steep hill it's built on. Before the late 19th century, you reached the cathedral by a narrow, steep street. This street had shops selling souvenirs for pilgrims. It led to a large area under the cathedral floor. From there, pilgrims climbed a separate stairway to reach the altar. The current stairway was built in the late 19th century. It goes straight up to the nave.
The front of the cathedral, called the west front, looks like a huge arch. It has three entrances and three levels. The entrances are much lower than the main floor of the church. It's built with white sandstone and dark volcanic stone. A stairway of sixty steps passes through it. This stairway comes up from outside the cathedral, through the entrance arches, and climbs to the nave level.
On the lowest level, the three entrances open to the space beneath the first parts of the nave. The level above has three windows that let light into the nave. At the very top are three triangular gables. The window in the middle gable lets light into the nave. The other two have no glass and open onto the roof of the side aisles.
The West Porch
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48538.jpg|Decorations on the west porch File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale Porche Fresques.JPG|Frescoes in the stairway showing Christ with Moses and Elijah File:Tetramorph in west porch of Notre-Dame-du-Puy - St. Luke.jpg|A sculpture of a bull, the symbol of Saint Luke, on a column (13th century) File:Jakobus Fresko exterior Cathedral Le Puy en Velay.jpg|An image of Saint Stephen on the west porch File:Le Puy-en-Velay - Cathédrale Notre-Dame -6.jpg|The cedar wood doors on the west front porch }} To enter the church, visitors climb sixty steps from the street to the west porch. Then, they climb another sixty steps to reach the nave. This porch was built in the 11th century where an older church once stood. It was made bigger in the mid-12th century when the church above was expanded. It has huge pillars and columns, forming three sections and three grand arches.
The west porch is almost like a church itself, located beneath the main cathedral. It has some of the oldest and best-preserved decorations. There are two chapels inside the porch. One is for Saint Martin (south side), and the other for Saint Luke (north side). Their fronts are from the original 11th-century church. The cedar doors, which are carved and painted, were put in at the end of the 12th century. A Latin message on the stairway walls warns those who are "impure" not to enter.
Old paintings from the 11th and 12th centuries decorate the chapels. They are especially clear on the walls of the central stairway. These paintings are in a Byzantine art style and date to around 1200. On the south wall, there is a scene showing the Transfiguration of Jesus. It shows Christ with Moses and Elijah, and the apostles John, James, and Saint Peter at their feet. Above them, there are paintings of angels presenting the dove of the Holy Spirit. Even higher, Saint Lawrence and Saint Stephen are shown holding palm branches, which identify them as martyrs.
On the opposite wall of the stairway, there are paintings from the same time. They show the Virgin Mary sitting on a throne, representing wisdom. A curtain is held by angels and by the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah. She holds her child in front of her.
In 2004, digs in the porch found more writings and paintings from the 13th century. These included images of Saint Christopher, who is the patron saint of pilgrims. A sculpture on another column shows a tetramorph, which is a bull symbol for Saint Luke.
Most of the ceilings in the porch are rounded Romanesque barrel vaults. But some parts have more pointed arches, which is a sign of Gothic architecture. These were added in later repairs in the 14th and 18th centuries.
Porch du For and Porch Saint-John
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200" File:Etresillon.porche.Puy.en.Velay.png|A drawing of the porch by Viollet-le-Duc (1856) File:Cathédrale du Puy-en-Velay - Porche du For 1.jpg|The Porch du For File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Chapiteau de la porte papale (pilier de l'arc contigu à l'évêché) - Puy-en-Velay (Le) - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00014171.jpg|A column in the porch File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Porte papale - Puy-en-Velay (Le) - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00024605.jpg|Pillars of the Porche du For File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48517.jpg|Doors of Porch Saint-John, with old mosaics above them }} The main way out of the church is through two entrances. These are on the northeast and southeast sides of the transept, where it meets the east end. One of these is called the Porch du For. It is named after the Place du For, a square where the cathedral's court used to be. This entrance was only for royal or papal pilgrims. It was built using many stones from earlier Christian cathedrals. An old writing on the doorway probably refers to Bishop Scutarius. Inside, there's a reused Roman stone with a message honoring Emperor Augustus. The other doorway, into the south part of the transept, is from the mid to late 12th century. It has very fancy carved tops on its columns, showing mermaids and crowned heads. It also uses older stones, some with geometric designs painted in the 11th century.
The Porch Saint John is on the north side of the cathedral, near the baptistry. It covers a part of the street between the cathedral and the baptistry. This entrance was for kings, princes, and governors. One of its doorways is now walled up. It used to lead to the north chapel. The other doors, with curling iron bars, open into the north transept. Above these doors are the damaged remains of a scene showing the Last Supper, with Christ in the middle. Christ also appears above, with angels on each side, against a background of mosaics and small round openings.
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale7.JPG|The nave looking towards the altar and choir, with the pulpit on the left File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale4.JPG|The dome-like ceilings over the nave File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale Coupole.JPG|The lantern tower above the transept }} The nave is the main part of the church where people gather for worship. At Le Puy, visitors enter the nave by a stairway that comes up from the west porch. This entrance is in the middle of the church, just west of the transept. The nave has six sections, each covered by a dome-like octagonal ceiling. These ceilings are supported by large pillars. On each side of the main nave, there are two side aisles. Above the crossing of the nave and transept, there is a lantern tower on top of the dome.
Choir, Transept, and Chevet
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Transept, clocher et coupole vus du cloître - Puy-en-Velay (Le) - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00014165.jpg|The transept, lantern tower, and cloister in the 1880s File:Cathédrale du Puy en Velay. (Le choeur).jpg|The choir and altar File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Maître autel-20130324.jpg|The main altar File:La Vierge Noire du Puy en Velay.jpg|The new Black Madonna with a seasonal costume File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-027-20130324.jpg|A 17th-century gilded wood carving of Saint Andrew by Pierre Vaneau File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Fragments G.R. encastrés dans la base du clocher - Puy-en-Velay (Le) - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00024608.jpg|Old Roman sculptures and writings in the wall of the east end File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Saintes Femmes au Tombeau-20130324.jpg|Romanesque paintings of women at Christ's tomb in the north transept }} The choir is the part of the cathedral reserved for the clergy. The original choir was small and had a low ceiling. It was completely rebuilt starting in 1865 in a Neo-Romanesque style. Its height was increased to twenty meters to match the nave. It was given more decorations, including gilded palm leaves, marble, and granite columns. A large window was opened to the east. The choir was decorated with colorful paintings on the ceilings and walls.
One remaining piece from the 17th-century decoration is a carved and gilded panel. It shows a scene from the life of Saint Andrew, made by Pierre Vaneau.
Almost all of the transept was torn down in 1844 and then rebuilt to its original size. However, it got new decorations. The only part of the old transept that remains is at the very north end. It still has some Romanesque paintings.
The chevet, or east end of the cathedral, was entirely rebuilt starting in 1865, along with the choir. It was made to be the same height as the nave and given a large window. It was built in the Neo-Romanesque style, with colorful mosaics and arches around the new windows. The base of the chevet, near the cathedral's well, was decorated with sculptures and writings from the early Romanesque cathedral.
The Organ
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Le Puy-en-Velay - Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation 01.jpg|The cathedral organ File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Détail du Buffet d'orgue-20130324.jpg|A close-up of the organ case }} The organ was placed in the nave in 1689. It has two sides and was made by Jean Eustache. The wooden parts were done by Gabriel Alignon, and the sculptures by Francois Tireman and Pierre Vaneau. It was fixed in 1827 and was recognized as an historic monument in 1862.
Bell Tower and Chapel of the Holy Saviour
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200" File:Clocher.Puy.png|A drawing of the bell tower by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1856) File:00 0651 Kathedrale Notre Dame von Puy-en-Velay.jpg|The bell tower File:Le Puy-en-Velay - Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation 12 clocher.jpg|Inside the bell tower File:Le Puy-en-Velay Cathédrale Clocher3.JPG|Another view inside the bell tower File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Enfeu d'un évêque-20130324.jpg|The tomb of a bishop in the Chapel of the Holy Saviour File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Enfeu d'un chanoine-20130324.jpg|The tomb of a canon in the Chapel of the Holy Saviour }} The bell tower is seven stories tall, reaching fifty-six meters high. It stands separate from the east end of the choir. Each square story is a little smaller than the one below it. The lowest part of the tower is from the first cathedral in the 11th century. It originally had large arches open to the outside. These were later filled with stone as the chapel grew taller.
The tower was used for both religious and military purposes. The cathedral had to have city watchmen at the top of the tower. They would watch the countryside for approaching enemies. Because of its military importance, the tower was not destroyed during the French Revolution.
In the 12th century, the arches at the tower's base were filled with stone. A chapel, called the Chapel of the Holy Saviour, was added. This chapel has a rounded ceiling and is used as a crypt (an underground room) for the tombs of bishops and canons (church officials). These tombs are set into the walls and have images of the people inside. They are surrounded by carved arches and decorations.
The tower's levels are decorated with arches and vivid sculptures from that time. In the 19th century, the top three levels of the tower were rebuilt, keeping their original shape. Some of the original sculptures were replaced with copies. The real ones are now in the Crozatier Museum.
In the 17th century, the tower held twelve bells at the top. Today, there are only four. The oldest and largest bell, with the deepest sound, is called the bourdon. It was made in 1788 and named Marie-Joseph, after Bishop de Galard, who ordered it.
The Cloister
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200" File:Le Puy-en-Velay - Cloître de Notre-Dame du Puy - JPG1.jpg|The cloister (12th century) File:01 Le Puy-en-Velay - Cathédrale - JPG4.jpg|The top of a column in the cloister File:01 Le Puy-en-Velay - Cathédrale - JPG7.jpg|Another column top in the cloister (12th century) File:Cloître de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de l'Annonciation 03.jpg|A column top in the cloister File:01 Le Puy-en-Velay - Cathédrale - JPG6.jpg|A column top in the cloister File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48477.jpg|A column top in the cloister File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48483.jpg|An iron grill in the cloister File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48451.jpg|Colorful painting on the column tops File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48447.jpg|A gallery of the cloister }} The cloister has four colorful walkways. They were built from the Carolingian period up to the 12th century. It is connected to parts of 13th-century walls that separated the cathedral area from the rest of the city. Near the cathedral, the 11th-century baptistry of Saint John is built on old Roman foundations.
Chapter Buildings and Chapel of the Dead
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200" File:Le Puy-en-Velay, Cathédrale Notre-Dame ou basilique de Notre-Dame PM 48490.jpg|A painting of the Crucifixion in the Chapel of the Dead File:Le Puy F PM 048491.jpg|A close-up of the Crucifixion painting (around 1200) File:Le Puy F PM 048492.jpg|Another close-up of the Chapel of the Dead painting }} The buildings for the cathedral chapter (the clergy members) are on the east and west sides of the cloister. On the west side is the Machicoulis building. It's named after the battlements (castle-like tops) around it, which were used to drop things on attackers. Here, the name is just for show. The lower four levels were built in the 12th century. The top level and battlements are from the early 13th century. This building was used for meetings, as a school, dining hall, library, treasury, and chapel for the many clergy members. In 1975, one room became the Chapel of Relics. It displays the cathedral's collection of holy items. The old dining hall became a gallery for the cathedral's religious art collection. At one time, a walkway at the top connected the terrace to the nearby Saint Mayol tower.
On the east side of the cloister is a large hall with a high arched ceiling. It opens onto the cloister. This was the chapter meeting hall. It's called the Chapel of the Dead because of the tombs of important clergy members on its walls. The south wall has a large painting from around 1200. It shows the Crucifixion, with images of Saint Mary, Saint John, the sun, moon, angels, and prophets. A Latin message on the wall says it was painted in "less than one hundred days." The painting style shows how art changed from Byzantine to Gothic art.
The Baptistry (Church of Saint John)
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Baptistère Saint-Jean - Choeur - Puy-en-Velay (Le) - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00012006.jpg|The cathedral baptistry, or church of Saint-Jean, in the 19th century }} The Church of Saint John is on the northeast side of the cathedral. It is connected by the Porch of Saint-John. It was used for baptisms until the French Revolution. This church is at least as old as the cathedral itself. Parts of it, like the apse, east end, and parts of the walls, date back to between the 5th and 6th centuries. Old parts of the baptismal font were also found. The church was greatly restored in the 19th century.
Art and Sculpture
{{gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" File:Barthélemy d'eyck, sacra famiglia.jpg|The Holy Family by Barthélemy d'Eyck (1450–1480) File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Chapelle du Saint Sacrement-20130324.jpg|A chest of reliquaries in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament File:Cathédrale Notre Dame du Puy en Velay-Assomption de la Vierge-20130324.jpg|Assumption of the Virgin sculpture by Pierre Vaneau (17th century) File:FR-43-Le Puy13.JPG|A sculpture of Saint James }} Besides the old Romanesque paintings, the cathedral has many important artworks. Most are from the 15th to 17th centuries. They are shown in the Salles des Etats du Velay, which is in the cathedral's sacristy. One famous painting is "The Holy Family" by Barthélemy d'Eyck (1450–1480).
The cathedral also has the Courgard-Fruman collection. This includes over three hundred church clothes from different times and countries. They show rich and varied embroidery. Seventy-six examples are on display in the Salle des Etats de Velay.
Another group of important paintings is in the Chapter Hall, on the library walls. They were ordered in 1501. They show women representing the liberal arts: grammar, logic, rhetoric, and music. They also feature famous artists or scholars from each field.
See also
- French Romanesque architecture
- History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
Sources
- Sacred Sites: Cathedral of Notre Dame, Le Puy
- Cloister - Official website: http://www.cathedrale-puy-en-velay.fr/en/
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Diocese of Le Puy". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton.
