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The Doomed Cathedral of Beauvais

October 2, 2024 8:07 pm / 3 Comments on The Doomed Cathedral of Beauvais

I was somewhat in trepidation walking into the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Beauvais, France. One could see how a patchwork of bracing keeps what remains standing. The cathedral is both imposing and sad. The vision was to build the largest cathedral in France, possibly even the world, back in the 13th Century. Construction began quickly and effectively and soon a transept and the choir (altar and music area) arose. It was majestic–the highest interior height (still to this day) achieved in the gothic form. Then, one by one, calamities struck. Part of the 154 foot high vaulting over the choir collapsed and repair work took needed funds from other projects. The nave was never to be built because of a fateful decision to build the highest spire ever conceived over the altar before construction on the nave began. Sure enough, reaching 492 feet in height, the spire made the cathedral the tallest building in the world until it began to move and finally collapsed in 1537. If the nave had been built first, as originally planned, it is highly possible the spire would not have fallen. Wars, especially the 100 Years War, came and went, and funds dried up. Then, during the French Revolution, anti-clerical elements destroyed the statuary that was a hallmark of the exterior, and interior treasures in the cathedral were hauled away. Later, the Beauvais Cathedral became a patchwork as efforts were made to conserve what remained. 

Work was begun on the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Beauvais, France, in 1225 under count-bishop Milo of Nanteuil, with funding from his family.
Beauvais Cathedral, a victim of two collapses, one in the 13th century, the other in the 16th century, remains unfinished today.
Victim of two collapses, one in the 13th century, the other in the 16th century, the Beauvais Cathedral remains unfinished today.

What remains is still imposing! The one transept and the choir are immense and show how glorious the entire cathedral would have been. We took time to view the cathedral’s beautiful astronomical clock containing 90,000 components and 50 moving figurines including numerous functions it can fulfill. It played and chimed and figures danced as we watched. 

The vaulting in the interior of the choir in the Beauvais Cathedral reaches 47.5 m (156 ft) in height, far surpassing the concurrently constructed Amiens Cathedral, with its 42-metre (138 ft) nave, and making Beauvais Cathedral the tallest vault of all the Gothic Cathedrals. It is slightly taller than the nave of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome at 46.2 m (152 ft).
The choir of the Beauvais Cathedral has been called by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, a French architect, “the Parthenon of French Gothic.”
The Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France, is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis.
The Beauvais Astronomical Clock is a nineteenth-century astronomical clock in Beauvais Cathedral in northern France.
The astronomical clock by Auguste Vérité in Beauvais was installed in the cathedral starting from 1876. The clock contains nearly 90,000 components and features 50 miniature figurines.
Beauvais Cathedral – From 1569 to 1573 the cathedral of Beauvais was, with its tower of 153 m (502 ft), the highest human construction of the world.

The rest of Beauvais is small city France, and we enjoyed walking the streets and finding patisseries. Tomorrow, we train to Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport (less than an hour away) for an EasyJet flight to Copenhagen and the next day a flight home. We have thoroughly enjoyed our trip and yet, we are happy to return home, God willing, to our family and friends! 

Town Hall of Beauvais, France
Musee departemental de l’Oise in Beauvais, France (Oise Museum)
Gallo-Roman fortifications in Beauvais, France

Blog “Of the Moment”

September 30, 2024 9:29 pm / 3 Comments on Blog “Of the Moment”

We had been to Rouen, France, several years ago, and I was determined to return! We have not been disappointed! Rouen, like many cities in Europe, has a cobblestoned medieval center. There is something special about Rouen. Its half-timbered buildings stand proudly . Almost around every turn there are gothic spires and massive gothic buildings clad in marble. Bells peal regularly. The Roman Catholic Notre Dame cathedral is immense, and its many entrances have amazingly delicate statuary on the portals. Rollo, the great Viking warrior and first Duke of Normandy, is buried within. His Royal line influenced history over and over again. One would think that with such a large church there would be few others in the vicinity; however, within easy walking distance other huge churches appear. They are all beautiful. Hotels and government buildings are interspersed and have appealing architecture. High-end department stores and small speciality shops along with outdoor cafes and bistros add to the city’s charm. Rouen is a special place! 

Rouen, France – Cathedral of Notre Dame
The Viking chieftain Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy in a lineage that included William the Conqueror and Richard the Lionheart, is laid to rest in Rouen’s Cathedral of Notre Dame. In 911, Rouen became the capital of the Duchy of Normandy under the leadership of Rollo.
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Rouen, the Archbishop’s Church
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Rouen, the Archbishop’s Church

I was able to find the restaurant at which we had eaten the last time we were here. I had one goal in mind–drink the cherry beer! It was still here and on tap–tap is the best way to drink cherry beer–it is not the same from a bottle or can. Kathy is not a fan–she said it tastes like Luden’s cough drops–Oh, how I love Luden’s cough drops! We have had a wonderful two days strolling and stopping to browse or popping in for a hot chocolate (or cherry beer) or sitting quietly in a beautiful worship space. The sun was bright today and people crowded the outdoor cafes. This has been what I wanted this adventure to be–no rush, just beauty and relaxation. Absolutely, there is something special about Rouen. 

Palace of Justice in Rouen, France
Rouen’s Temple Saint-Eloi
Church of Saint Maclou in Rouen, France
Place de la Pucelle in Rouen, France

Getting out of Rouen was something else! We did not know that the city marathon was being run and all the streets were blocked around the old town which was where our hotel was located. “No taxi,” we were informed; in fact, no cars at all. We would have to walk all the way to the central train station or walk to the nearest metro rail (about 20 minutes) and ride it to the station with our luggage. We left early to give us wiggle room and walked to the metro station. When we arrived we noticed that the stairs to the metro were three flights deep with no lift, and we had luggage. Wonderfully, a policeman came to our rescue and actually helped carry our luggage down for us. I was able to figure out the ticket machine. We waited ten minutes for our metro to arrive and rode it to the station. Once there, we had to find our platform and, once again, it was several flights down with no lift. A kind passenger helped Kathy with hers, and I struggled mine down. With a sigh of relief we settled into our train seats with four minutes to spare! The helpfulness of the French was amazing and much appreciated! 

We arrived in Amiens, and our hotel held our luggage for us since we arrived so early. We walked immediately to the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame, the largest church building in France. Imposing, yes, but also beautiful! The entrance portals are stunning with hundreds of statues of Biblical characters and scenes. They are as beautiful as any we have seen, if not more so. The interior is daunting, with massive side aisles that are larger than many cathedral’s main aisle. The main aisle is immense and tall. Transepts sweep to the sides and numerous large chapels line the whole interior. We were informed that Paris’s Notre Dame could easily fit inside with room to spare. It was Sunday, and most everything was closed; however, we found a Bistro open near the cathedral, and its special was quite appealing–roasted chicken in a tasty sauce, salad, and frites (French fries). We ambled back to the hotel and checked in for a relaxing night. 

Notre-Dame d’Amiens, France, the largest church in France and one of the most complete 13th century Gothic churches
Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens, France, a remarkably conserved Gothic cathedral applauded for the perfect symmetry of the nave, the beauty of its three-tier interior elevation, the wealth of its sculpted decoration and its stained glass.
The gold-leafed pulpit in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Amiens, France
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Amiens, France, prized for its wealth of sculpted decoration
Amiens’ 13th century Cathedral of Notre Dame is famous for its stained glass windows.

Amiens is very different from Rouen. Almost no half-timbered buildings could be seen. Instead, marble and brick buildings in eclectic styles line the streets. Canals run through the city, and we walked along them as we headed to the floating gardens biological area of the city. We purchased tickets for the small canal boat ride (40 minutes) that coursed its way along narrow canals and past all types of vegetation. Small vacation rentals line parts of the canals. Flower season is mainly passed, but the river was clear, the air crisp, the sun shining, and we enjoyed our outing. 

Amiens is a city in northern France, divided by the Somme river.
Garden cosmos, a herbaceous flowering plant in the daisy family, grows along Amiens’s canals.
Yucca filaments, Adam’s needle and thread flowers along Amiens’s canals that flow through the city.
A mute swan is at home in Amiens’s canal: Les Hortillonnages.
Pampas grass thrives along the canals of Amiens France.

Over the past few days–September 27-30–we have experienced much in areas not heavily touristed in France. Several fascinating items stand out for some reason: *Camembert hamburgers–thick melting Camembert over the beef burger with sautéed onions–a taste bud sensation and regional favorite. *Macaroons–they are advertised as the best in France–double macaroons held together with fruit paste; chocolate-covered macaroons; coconut macaroons–all fantastic. We found the patisserie that is famous for its macaroons and ate our fill! *The phrase, “of the moment,” will be a new vocabulary addition when we return home, as in, “soup of the moment” rather than “of the day.” Travel teaches one much, and I am thankful I am still a learner. 

le MACARON d’AMIENS, for which Amiens is famous