The address: France, city of Rouen, Cathedral Square
Start of construction: 1145
Completion of construction: 1506
Height: 151 m
Main attractions: tombstones of famous people (Richard the Lionheart, King Henry II, Bishop of Amboise), stained glass windows
Coordinates: 49°26′25″N,1°5′41″E
Short description
Rouen Cathedral in France or, as it is also called, Notre Dame Cathedral of Rouen (Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen), is located in the French city of the same name and is a national heritage monument of the country.
Rouen Cathedral is considered the tallest temple in all of France and is a real masterpiece of the Gothic architectural style, the fame of which has spread to all corners of the world. It will be interesting to know that the city of Rouen is called the "City of a Hundred Spires", because of the huge number of tall and beautiful buildings with numerous spiers that rise in this city. However, the tallest cathedral in France, which is immortalized in the paintings of the famous artist Claude Monet, is Rouen Cathedral, 151 meters high.
View of the northwest facade of the cathedral
It is worth noting that according to historical documents, on the site of the modern Rouen Cathedral, 1000 years before the foundation of its most ancient part, there were Christian churches. Archaeologists, as a result of painstaking research, managed to find the remains of the basilica that once towered here. According to their assumptions, the date of construction of the oldest temple dates back to the 4th century. According to historians, in all likelihood, the construction of the oldest temple took place at the time when the first Bishop of Rouen Mellon came to these parts (260s) and began to preach Christianity.
Rouen Cathedral: construction
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 how they looked 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 only ashes behind.
View of the south portal of Rouen Cathedral and the spire
The episcopal courtyard, together with two churches, was destroyed. At that time, the political situation in the country was extremely unstable, and it was for this reason that churches were not restored for a long time.
So it was a foregone conclusion, but later, it was the Vikings who made a lot of efforts in order to rebuild the temple. The fame of the brutal reprisals of the Vikings over everything that they met on their way intimidated all of Europe so much that the king of France, ruling in 911, made concessions to the conquerors and agreed to make Normandy a Duchy. And besides this, he married off his daughter to the leader of the Vikings, Rollan the Pedestrian, and, in turn, put forward a condition for the newlywed: the newly-born duke would certainly have to be baptized. Rolland the Pedestrian did not argue 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 Dukes of Normandy, Rolland in 1020 (and later his heirs) began the construction of a new cathedral in the Romanesque style.
Entrance portal of the cathedral
Only one crypt has survived from those times to the present day. All other parts of the temple were built using the Gothic style in architecture. The most ancient tower of the Raunsky Cathedral was considered the tower of San Romain. Built in 1145, it stood in its original form for almost 800 years. However, in 1944, when the whole world was involved in the Second World War, as a result of the bombing of the troops of the anti-Hitler coalition, this tower was destroyed.
Rouen Cathedral: a difficult story
Surprisingly, this highest cathedral in France, classified as a historical monument of the country's heritage, has experienced various disasters more than once during its centuries-old history. Here are just a few of them: one of the naves, erected 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 strong storm, the bell was damaged. But, nevertheless, despite all the vicissitudes, the cathedral is quite well preserved to this day.
South (Oil) tower of the cathedral
Of course, this is the merit of those masters and talented restorers who, in spite of everything, again and again took up the revival of the shrine. At present, every parishioner of the Rouen Cathedral and every guest of the country can admire this majestic ancient temple with a 151-meter spire in the Gothic style, with the North and Oil towers soaring upwards, amazing bright stained-glass windows created back in the 13th century.
The unique cathedral seems to be woven from the finest stone lace, and thanks to the height of the spire, it was recognized as the tallest building in the world from 1876 to 1880. Inside the temple is the tomb of the first Duke of Normandy, Rolland Pedestrian. There is also a stone sarcophagus, decorated with a sculpture of King Richard I, better known to 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.
View of the north (San Romain) and south (Oil) towers of the cathedral
The majestic and magnificent temple, whose history goes back to the 4th century, was built over several hundred years. The nave, choir, transept, first floor and lantern tower, in other words, the main part of the Rouen Cathedral, were created during the period when High Gothic dominated the world. The central portal and the last floor of the Saint Romain Tower were built in the late Gothic era. The oil tower was built in the 16th century. It is interesting that a legend has been preserved about the Oil Tower, according to which in those distant times during the fasting period, all parishioners were forbidden to eat oil. For those who did not want to deny themselves this pleasure, it was necessary to pay each priest 6 deniers, thus buying themselves a special permit.
Rouen city record
In conclusion, I would like to add that Rouen Cathedral was built over many centuries and during periods of dominance in the world of various architectural styles. That is why it is a single and harmonious work of art.
Central nave of Rouen Cathedral
This is evidenced not only by the number of modern travelers visiting the Rauna Cathedral, but also by the fact that the greatest artist Claude Monet captured this indescribable beauty on more than 50 of his canvases. Our contemporaries in 2010 decided to once again perpetuate this truly majestic cathedral. More than 1,000 people gathered in the square in front of the town hall in Rouen. Each of them had in their hands an enlarged fragment of the painting by the great French painter Claude Monet "Rouen Cathedral". The "living picture" was captured by photographers who were at that moment in a helicopter. In addition, a video was filmed, submitted for inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records.
Basic moments
The Catholic church rises to 151 meters and is currently the fourth tallest church on the planet, second only to Ulm (161.5 m) and Cologne (157.4 m) cathedrals in Germany, as well as the North Dame de la Paix cathedral in Côte d'Ivoire (158 m). In addition, Rouen Cathedral is one of the oldest Christian churches in Europe. Its history began in the 4th century. The Gothic temple that has survived to this day began to be erected in 1145, and its construction lasted until 1506.
Various disasters fell on the share of the Rouen Cathedral. He repeatedly burned in the flames of fires. In the 18th century, the temple was damaged by a powerful hurricane. Pretty destroyed the cathedral and the bombing of World War II. The quarters of Rouen experienced many air raids. Due to the bomb explosions and subsequent fires, the nave, the Saint-Romain tower and the chapels were significantly damaged. At the end of 1999, a hurricane passed through the northern regions of France, and powerful gusts of wind destroyed one of the four turrets on the high spire of the Rouen Cathedral.
Today, Notre Dame in Rouen has been beautifully restored and is very popular with tourists. People come here to admire the high metal spire, the correct Gothic proportions and the solemn decor of the interiors. Travelers come to this temple for the colorful medieval stained glass windows and tombstones over the graves of famous people.
Every year, spectacular laser shows are organized on the facades of the Rouen Cathedral. At night, the towers and walls of the Catholic church become the backdrop, where fragments of the famous paintings by the French artist Claude Monet, who glorified Rouen Cathedral with a series of his paintings, illuminate.
In the summer of 2010, an interesting performance was held in front of the City Hall. 1250 people came to the square, holding an enlarged fragment of a painting by Claude Monet. They formed a large rectangle, which from above looked like one of the paintings by the famous impressionist from the Rouen Cathedral series. The mass action was filmed from a helicopter and included in the Guinness Book of Records.
History of Rouen Cathedral
The first documents that mention the Bishop of Rouen date back to 314, and the first Christian basilica in the city was built at the end of the 4th century. When archaeologists excavated here, they found that the ancient cathedral complex included two temples dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Stephen.
In 841 the Vikings invaded Rouen and completely destroyed both churches. The position of the city, as well as the region as a whole, remained uncertain, so it was decided not to restore the lost Christian shrines. At the beginning of the 10th century, the king of France decided to succumb to the Vikings and made Rouen the capital of the Duchy of Normandy.
To appease the conquerors, he gave his daughter for their leader - Rollon, who was called the "Pedestrian". The Viking received such a nickname for his tall stature and powerful physique. According to legend, Rollo was so heavy that the horses could not bear his weight, so the duke had to walk a lot. The elevation to the rank of duke took place in a simple basilica, and Rollo received the name of Robert I. The leader of Normandy became the founder of the famous Norman dynasty, which ruled the territory of Normandy and England until the first half of the 12th century.
The large Rouen Cathedral was built and reconstructed over several centuries. The first Romanesque church was erected in 1020. This church had a bypass gallery and chapels diverging around the altar. However, only the crypt has survived from the original Romanesque buildings to this day. The rest of the temple was built according to the same planning scheme, but in the traditions of the Gothic.
The oldest part of Rouen Cathedral is located on the north side of the Saint-Romain tower (1145). A tragic fate awaited the north tower. During World War II, Rouen was heavily bombed, and after fires in the summer of 1944, Saint-Romain burned out almost entirely, with the exception of strong stone walls. The nave of Rouen Cathedral was erected in 1200 after the nave of an older Romanesque church collapsed due to a fire. The Gothic nave is 28 meters high, 11.3 meters wide and 60 meters long.
The tower on the south side is usually called Maslyana (75 m). It appeared later than other parts of the Rouen Cathedral, in the 80s of the XV century. The construction of the tower took 20 years. According to legend, money collected for church indulgences was spent on it. Priests sold most indulgences to those who violated fasting days and, despite the ban, ate butter, so the southern tower of the cathedral was called Maslyana.
architectural features
The cathedral complex includes the temple itself and the archbishop's palace. Despite the fact that Rouen Cathedral was built for several centuries, all its parts look like a harmonious architectural ensemble. The building of the French cathedral is so large that being next to it, it is impossible to take in the temple with one glance. It does not fit into the field of view entirely.
The original Gothic cathedral had three portals, but two of them were badly damaged in the 16th century. The only portal on the north side, dedicated to John the Theologian, has survived to this day. Above it you can see a carved bas-relief with scenes of the baptism of Jesus Christ. Since the 1760s, this part of the Rouen Cathedral has been repeatedly restored.
The high central spire was built in 1557. In those days, it was made of wood and covered with tin plates. But in 1822, as a result of a lightning strike, the wooden spire burned down. Then the city authorities decided to build a new metal spire in the medieval Gothic style. The construction of the new spire continued from 1829 to 1876. For 4 years, the cathedral in Rouen was considered the highest in the world, until in 1880 the palm passed to Cologne Cathedral.
Due to the dark color, the metal spire stands out noticeably above the light facades. It continues to be the tallest cathedral spire in France. The massive structure weighs 1200 tons, and in order to climb to its top, you need to overcome 813 steps.
The writer Gustave Flaubert, a native of Rouen, had the opportunity to observe the erection of the spire and ironically called it "the whim of an enraged builder of steam boilers." If you look closely at the spire from a close distance, it really looks too "technogenic".
The abundance of decorative elements and sculptures on the facades appeared in the period that is commonly called "flaming Gothic". Figures of Christian saints are installed under the carved tympanums of Rouen Cathedral. And above the openwork portal there is a round rose window typical of Gothic architecture.
Rouen Cathedral interior
The interior design of the Rouen Cathedral is as striking as its walls and towers. A spacious altar is surrounded by a colonnade. In the center, under the spire, the vaults rise to a maximum height of 51 m. The interiors do not have that many colors that are found in Baroque churches. The color scheme is sustained in muted, strict colors, and the overall impression is harmoniously complemented by monochrome sculptures and light vaults.
Gothic windows are decorated with old stained-glass windows of the 13th century, which have a blue color. The characteristic shade is usually called "Chartres blue", since the technology for making Gothic stained-glass windows was first used in the Catholic church of the city of Chartres. The beauty of the bright stained-glass windows of Rouen Cathedral is described in detail in Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary. Interestingly, some of the stained glass windows are signed with the names of the masters who made them. Eight hundred years ago, the technology of stained glass casting was only developing, so stained glass work was considered high art.
Rouen Cathedral houses several revered tombs. Here the first Duke of Normandy, Rollon Pedestrian and his son found their last refuge. In the cathedral there is a sarcophagus, where lies the heart of another Duke of Normandy and the English King Richard I the Lionheart, who ruled from 1189 to 1199.
In one of the chapels you can see the statue of Joan of Arc. The sculpture of the French heroine with a commemorative inscription from the British did not appear here by chance. On the territory of the Rouen Cathedral, the trial of Joan of Arc was held, and she was sentenced to death. In 1431, the girl was accused of heresy and executed, but 25 years later, these charges were dropped. Signs installed on Saint-Romain street testify to historical events.
Rouen Cathedral in the paintings of artists
The strict and at the same time elegant Gothic appearance of the Rouen Cathedral inspired many artists. At the end of the 19th century, the French impressionist Claude Monet painted more than 30 canvases with views of the Gothic cathedral. He depicted an ancient temple from three points in different natural light and conveyed the variability of light with amazing accuracy. Monet worked on the painting series for about two years, repeatedly coming to Rouen and renting a room opposite the cathedral.
The artist created some of the paintings and sketches on the spot, and completed work on some in his workshop in the town of Giverny. The canvases were connected by a single plot and organically complemented each other, showing the changes taking place in nature from dawn to dusk. Art critics consider the paintings with the Rouen Cathedral one of the pinnacles of Impressionism.
It is known that at first the artist hid a series of paintings about the Rouen Cathedral even from his friends. Only in 1895, most of the 30 paintings were exhibited in the Dunard-Ruel gallery, and the exhibition caused a stir among the public. However, Claude Monet failed to sell the entire series, so the paintings were sold one by one to different countries of the world. Today they are in private collections and galleries in Russia, France and the USA.
In 1969, the painter Roy Fox Lichtenstein created a triptych dedicated to Rouen Cathedral. The American master worked in the style of pop art and also depicted the facade of a Gothic temple. Lichtenstein took the works of Claude Monet as a basis, superimposing a typographic screen on them.
Opening hours
For tourists, Rouen Cathedral is open seven days a week. From Tuesday to Saturday it can be accessed from 9.00 to 19.00, on Sundays from 8.00 to 18.00, and on Mondays from 14.00 to 18.00.
How to get there
Rouen Cathedral is located in the historical part of the city. It rises on the right bank of the Seine, on Rue Saint-Romain, 3, named after the patron saint of Rouen - Saint Roman.
Rouen is easily accessible from Paris. The city can be reached in 1.5 hours by trains departing from Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris. Regular buses arrive from Paris to Rouen at 2.40. In addition, Rouen is connected by rail to Zurich, Nice, Strasbourg and Marseille. And by bus you can get to this city from London, Lisbon and Madrid.
Claude Monet painted Rouen Cathedral for more than two years. In total, he got 47 sketches and 31 paintings depicting the cathedral in different lighting conditions. Monet did not advertise his activities, but, on the contrary, carefully concealed them. He rented two apartments in houses on the cathedral square, which he visited incognito. The artist looked at the cathedral from behind a curtain, so as not to be seen from the street. Since the appearance of the cathedral depended on the lighting, there were several paintings on the easels at once, and at each particular moment the one that corresponded to the weather was drawn. In 1894, when the work was completed, Monet arranged an exhibition-sale dedicated to the cathedral. Criticism, usually not well disposed towards the Impressionist artists, this time responded quite favorably, and Monet successfully realized several works from a series of three to five thousand francs. Most recently, one of these paintings was resold for $24 million.
Five paintings hang in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris all together on one wall. As soon as I saw the wall with images of the cathedral, I immediately understood how I would start reporting on Rouen. It is not forbidden to use a camera in this museum, but I did not know this and I came there without a camera. At my request, my colleague's wife took the photo with a "soap box" the next day. Her name is Lera - this is how I denote my respect for her copyright. All five pictures did not fit into the frame, these are three medium ones. Photoshop is mine .
Where are the rest of the series? Everywhere. One painting is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Rouen itself, two in the National Gallery in Washington, another in Belgrade, and others have scattered into private collections. To be honest, I myself am a weak connoisseur of such works. When I looked at them in D'Orsay, I could not make out 24 million dollars in these trembling strokes. But since they pay so much, it means that these millions are drawn somewhere.
Normandy is a region of modern France with an ancient history. The Romans called this area Celtic Gaul. At the same time, the first settlement arose on the site where the city of Rouen (France) is located today. Being the administrative center of Normandy, it annually receives thousands of tourists who come to get acquainted with local attractions, including the famous Cathedral.
Capital of the Duke of Normandy
Already in the 3rd century A.D. e. Rouen was a flourishing city in Roman Gaul, with baths and an amphitheatre. It is not known exactly when the locals converted to Christianity, but the work of the Bishop of Rouen Victricius, dated to the end of the 4th century, has been preserved, which reports that at that time a Christian basilica was being built in the city.
Later, Gaul was conquered by the Franks and by the middle of the 9th century, when the Norman raids began, it was part of the West Frankish kingdom. During these raids, Rouen was repeatedly sacked by the warlike Normans. In the end, in 911, the Frankish king Charles III, in accordance with the concluded peace treaty, declared Rollo, the leader of the Normans, the duke of the territory he had conquered.
The duchy became known as Normandy, and Rouen became its capital. Rollo, like many of his fellow tribesmen, converted to Christianity, receiving the name Robert at baptism. Rouen Cathedral is where the remains of the first Duke of Normandy lie today.
From Romanesque Basilica to Gothic Cathedral
The first Christian church in Rouen was destroyed during one of the Norman raids. The building was not restored, but in its place, after the formation of the duchy in the 10th century, another basilica was built in the Romanesque style with a baptistery. From the ancient building to the present day, only the crypt has survived, which can be seen by visiting the Rouen Cathedral.
Sublime Gothic replaced the harsh architecture of the Romanesque style. Like many other churches in France, Rouen Cathedral in the XII century began to be built in accordance with the new architectural style. The work stretched over several centuries, so the temple itself can be considered a kind of illustration of the history of Norman Gothic.
St. Romain's Tower
The Saint-Romain tower is the oldest surviving part of the cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of Rouen. Below it is a baptistery, reminiscent of the Romanesque basilica that once stood on this site.
The tower is named after one of the bishops of the city - Romain, who lived in the 7th century, who, according to legend, defeated the monster that lived in the Seine. It is a pity that Saint Romain could not save the tower that bears his name during the Second World War. As a result of the Allied bombardments, Rouen Cathedral was badly damaged, in particular, only the walls remained of the Saint-Romain tower.
During the twelve post-war years, restoration work was carried out in the cathedral. But back to the history of the tower. Its construction began in 1145, in the early Gothic era, and the last floors were completed in the late Gothic era. 813 steps lead to the top of the 82-meter building, towering over the nave.
From the 16th century, the Saint-Romain tower was crowned with a tin-plated wooden spire, until in 1822 it burned down from a direct lightning strike. Later, it was replaced with a metal one with four turrets, although one of them was blown away a few years ago by a strong hurricane that swept over the north of France.
Architectural eclecticism
Rouen Cathedral, whose architecture forms a single ensemble with the Archbishop's Palace, is one of the important monuments of French medieval Gothic.
True, its planning scheme with radial chapels around the apse is inherent in the earlier Romanesque style. The colonnade surrounding the vast altar part of the temple was also considered an outdated architectural solution at the beginning of the 13th century.
On the other hand, the façade, with its stone ligature, many arches, and a string of statues of saints and apostles, is a vivid example of Norman Gothic at its peak. The Tour de Beur, that is, the Oil Tower, was built in this style, for which a yellowish stone was brought from Wales.
The crossroads of the cathedral is crowned by a lantern tower with the highest spire in all of France. This iron-forged spire was installed in the 19th century, and against the backdrop of medieval architecture, it looks too technologically advanced.
What not to miss
Rouen Cathedral cannot fail to impress, especially those who view it for the first time. The height of the ceiling in the central part of the temple is comparable to the height of a modern twenty-story building, and the length of the central passage is 137 m. Openwork windows were made under the ceiling instead of the planned balconies.
Cathedrals often served as burial places for rulers and ecclesiastical prelates. In addition to the tomb of the first Duke of Normandy, Rollo and his son, the heart of Richard the Lionheart rests in Rouen Cathedral and the sarcophagi of several archbishops are installed.
Medieval Normandy was famous for its masters who made stained glass windows of an unusual azure color. Therefore, it is not surprising that Rouen Cathedral also possesses these artifacts of the 13th century.
The description of the temple will be incomplete if not to say a few words about the chapel of the Virgin Mary. Here, in addition to stained-glass windows, you can get acquainted with the main icons of the cathedral, see medieval carved benches and panels.
Rouen Cathedral Monet
The world-famous Cathedral brought a series of works by the French impressionist Claude Monet. The artist worked on it for more than two years, periodically coming to Rouen to capture the western facade of the temple at different times of the day.
In total, Monet created fifty paintings in one format. The first of them was written by the artist in a hotel room located opposite the cathedral. On his next visit to Rouen, Monet worked in a shop window, the windows of which overlooked the square in front of the temple. Returning a year later, the artist rented a factory workshop for the studio with a magnificent view of Rouen Cathedral.
Monet tried to notice and capture on canvas subtle changes in the light environment depending on the time of day and weather conditions. Every half an hour, he carefully recorded the fluctuations in color shades, thus achieving a gradual transformation of the appearance of the cathedral in the rays of sunlight.
Curiosities of the Cathedral
Claude Monet was not the only one inspired by Rouen Cathedral. Interesting facts are also associated with the name of the French writer Gustave Flaubert. As a native of Rouen, he was no doubt well acquainted with the main temple of the city. In particular, a stained glass window dedicated to the history of St. Julian the Hospitaller inspired Flaubert to write one of his Three Tales.
Observing the installation of an iron spire over the crossroads of the cathedral, Flaubert sarcastically described such an architectural solution as the whim of an enraged manufacturer of steam boilers. Nevertheless, the spire branded by the writer brought Rouen Cathedral the glory of the highest building in the world in 1876-1880.
Returning to Monet, we note that he destroyed some of his paintings with views of the Rouen Cathedral, and about 30 of the remaining ones were presented to the public in 1895. Monet sold some of them for 3-5 thousand francs, and not so long ago one picture from the famous cycle was sold for $24 million.
Cultural heritage of the country
Rouen Cathedral is located in the historic center of the city, surrounded by well-preserved medieval, baroque and half-timbered houses. In order to appreciate the restrained beauty of the Gothic and feel the spirit of the distant Middle Ages, a leisurely inspection of the main temple of the city is required.
Rouen (France) spends a large part of the city's budget on maintaining its historical sights, in particular on the restoration of the cathedral, declared the country's cultural heritage.
Rouen- Norman city in the north France. Gothic monuments of the Middle Ages fill the air with an indescribable feeling of mystery and romance inherent in this time. Small streets with dense buildings of the specific architecture of the northern Europe only complement the already mystical picture.
A few months before the trip, while still at home, I looked at the computer monitor and calculated travel options. Highlighting on Paris week, I generously set aside two days for the trip. Opening the map Google, I carefully peered into the surroundings Paris and identified more or less interesting cities to visit. At the same time, I monitored the website of the French railways for the cost of moving. In principle, everything was logical - the shorter the distance, the cheaper.
But there was one more small feature - the more convenient the time of the trip, the more expensive it is. Those. very early or very late you can get almost twice as cheap. And that made me very happy. After trying a lot of different options and studying the information on the network, I decided on the place and time. The choice fell on the city Upper Normandy – Rouen.
Rouen - the history of the city
Rouen The city is quite old. Historians suggest that it was founded by Celtic tribes in ancient times. And then it was called Rotomagus (Rotomagus). At times ancient rome on the right bank Seine Baths and an amphitheater were built. This suggests that Rouen was important enough for the Romans. Indeed, in those days, every self-respecting city had to have an amphitheater.
of his heyday Rouen reached in the Middle Ages. V IX In the century, the harsh Normans got into the habit of devastating it. And soon they liked this occupation so much that they decided to simply capture it and start living there. So it became the capital of the duchy Normandy. From now on Rouen becomes a major port city and begins to conduct active trade with Paris.
At the beginning XIII century, thanks to several unsuccessful wars, Normandy loses its independence and becomes part of French kingdom.
Being in the north France, Rouen was often the center of hostilities. The British were especially fond of conquering it. At times Hundred Years War between England and France the city was one of the important strategic points.
Now Rouen not as big as in the distant past, but this does not prevent him from luring various inquisitive travelers with his historical sites and panoramic landscapes. This cup has not passed me.
From Paris to Rouen
Leaving the hotel early in the morning, we briskly walked to the already known one, since it was about 15 minutes to go. There the train was waiting for us to Rouen. The morning walk finally opened my eyes, and the day began.
There were printed tickets on hand. The tickets themselves were bought at home a couple of months before the trip at a price 40 euros for two there and back. V 8-20 in the morning we set off, and in 9-50 stood at the station Rouen. The most perspicacious reader has already calculated that on the way we spent only 1,5 hours. Considering that the distance from Paris before Rouen near 130 km, then everything converges.
From the railway station Gare de Rouen-Rive-Droite there goes the street Joan of Arc (Rue Jeanne d'Arc), along which we went to explore the city.
After Paris the city seemed quiet, modest and provincial. Most likely, he is. There were very few people on the street. Perhaps the fact is that it was Sunday, and even morning. But over the course of the day, the people did not increase - a quiet and deserted place, which personally pleased me very much - because I wanted to walk around the city in the calm atmosphere of the French province.
On the street Joan of Arc we reached a small park, which we did not fail to look into. Swans swam in a small pond in a deserted park. We stood and were touched, looking at these imperturbable birds.
We were also indescribably (what a suitable word) pleased with the presence of a free dry closet in the park, since we already needed it.
Dry closet in Rouen - at least live there
The toilet differed from the Russian blue practical booths quite significantly. Sink with water, soap, paper, dryer - everything is available. Tse w "decaying" Europe where to go. Approximately the same toilet I observed on the territory Kremlin. Well, this is by the way 🙂
Having done all our most important things, we moved on to see the main sights Rouen.
Rouen - attractions
After passing through a park with swans, we went to Museum of Fine Arts. It looks no less elegant than what is inside. Although we did not go there, but after reading the information on the net, I realized that the museum is quite good.
Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des beaux-arts de Rouen) v Rouen was founded in 1809 year. As you know, in this turbulent time of change, which began after French Revolution came to power Napoleon. And he carried out many victorious military campaigns, accompanied by a strong plunder of the defeated territories. These were “full” times for French museums.
The most "cream", of course, "shot" Louvre. But the regions got enough. including Rouen Museum of Fine Arts. The collections grew, and by the middle of the century there was not enough space. It was decided to erect a new museum building. So in 1877-1888 years the building of the modern Museum of Fine Arts v Rouen.
Rouen- the capital of the Impressionists, and therefore the museum has one of the largest collections of artists of this direction of painting. Among them 11 paintings by the founder of impressionism Claude Monet, including one of 50 cycle paintings "Rouen Cathedral". There is also a collection of Russian icons XVI-XIX centuries.
Right behind the museum, modestly stand two Gothic buildings. Wandering around, we assumed that these were churches. Only later, after the trip, I found out that one of these buildings is Forging Museum, and inside a huge number of related products. Such information was extremely unexpected for me, and I realized that it was bad not to know the local language, since there was a sign on the building that it was a museum. And, of course, we did not understand anything when we read it.
Rouen since the Middle Ages has become famous throughout Europe by their skilled blacksmiths. Plus, the presence of the river port contributed to the active sale and promotion of their products. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that the museum of forged products was opened here.
Forging Museum (Musee Le Secq des Tournelles) opened in 1921 year in the former building of the church, built in the distant XV century. The museum's collection is considered one of the largest in the world, and is still regularly replenished. It presents both works of art that have no particular practical value, as well as simple household items of the Middle Ages. Many copies are extraordinary and exclusive. Admirers of various openwork iron gizmos will be interested in wandering there.
And if you consider that all these antiquities are inscribed in the interior of a Gothic church, it will become even more interesting to visit there and enjoy the medieval surroundings.
We decided to enjoy it some other time. If we were to stay at Rouen for 2-3 days, then it would be reasonable to walk around the museums, and in our case of a one-day trip, there was not much time for sedate pacing among antiquities. So we moved on.
The building next to the museum is still a mystery to me. Some kind of abandoned church without signs and other identification marks.
It is obvious that there used to be a church in this building. What happened to her is completely unclear. Everything looks deserted, dull, and even gloomy. There was a feeling that blacks would now jump out from around the corner and attack. If it was evening in the yard, they would surely have jumped out 🙂
Further down the street Rue Jean Lecanuet reached the square Charles de Gaulle (Place du General de Gaulle), on which the administrative building of the city hall is located, and in the center of the square there is a monument to Salavat Yulaev (hello Ufa😉) general de Gaulle On horse. This is what I thought, wandering in the labyrinths of logic. Once de Gaulle Square, then a monument to him.
It turned out that this was not de Gaulle, and where did he suddenly get a horse from. The monument turned out to be the most ordinary emperor Napoleon I. To the right of the square rises Gothic in the form of a church Abbeys of Saint-Ouen.
Abbey Saint-Ouen
Abbey Saint-Ouen (Abbaye Saint-Ouen de Rouen) founded far away 553 year. A small basilica was built as the main cathedral. Before the Normans began to "naughty" in these territories, the abbey was considered one of the most influential. But in IX century, the Normans came and ruined it.
V XI century during the strong Norman Duchy a new church was built on the site of the old basilica - this time in the Romanesque style. But she also had a hard time. V 1248 year it burned down.
V XIV century restless monks began another construction of the church, this time in the Gothic style. She was more fortunate than the rest - she survived to this day, and pleases the eye of every visitor Rouen.
Today, no abbey there, of course, has survived. The building where the monks lived XIX centuries made the mayor's office Rouen, and the monastic garden at the church became the city hall garden.
In the church itself, too, services have not been conducted for a long time, since it is not active. Concerts and exhibitions are held there periodically.
Personally, I like such churches, so I had to climb around the bush a bit, breathe in the smell of stone XV century. And in general, the whole ensemble of the church-town hall-square is pretty - clean, tidy and green. Behind the buildings is a lovely green garden. And there are no Chinese tourists, and not only Chinese, there are none at all.
From the church Saint Ouen headed down the street Rue des Boucheries Saint-Ouen, smoothly flowing into the street Rue Damiette. The street itself is impressive - the houses huddle together like football players in a "wall".
The architecture of houses in the signature northern style called fachwerk. "Fachwerk" comes from Germany, but the proud French built almost the same houses. But for some reason they called their style “colombazh”. We will not argue who stole style from whom, let those who receive money for it do it :-).
Turning our heads right and left, we got to the next point of our journey - Church of Saint-Maclou.
Saint Maclou Church (Église Saint-Maclou) built with 1435 on 1521 of the year. One of the brightest representatives of the "flaming" Gothic style. Badly damaged during the famous landing in Normandy allied forces in Second World War. Received two shells in the "torso", but was not completely destroyed, which made it possible to restore it after the war.
Gothic is really "flaming", as the Internet says. I agreed with them. Very gothic and very fiery. It was not really possible to get closer to her, since at that time she was fenced, and repair work was going on there. They say that now they have already been completed, the church has been cleaned, and now it is even more beautiful.
The church is also interesting for its "plague" cemetery. Saint-Maclou located in the neighborhood.
We walked down the street Rue Martainville along the church and saw on the left a small open gate and an arrow inviting you to go inside. Slightly intrigued, we accepted the invitation and entered.
Leaking through an incredibly narrow corridor-lane, we found ourselves in a strange mystical place. A square of old wooden black and gloomy houses, inside a small garden. Various parts of the body “grow” on the lawn, apparently made of stone (hardly real).
Body parts in the Saint-Maclou cemetery in Rouen
Skulls and some mysterious symbols and inscriptions are everywhere on the walls of houses. The sensations are specific, as if you are in a crypt.
After walking and falling into a little confusion and thoughtfulness, we went back. As usual, after the fact we found out that this is an old cemetery Saint-Maclou where people who died from the plague were buried. The new dead were buried in the ground, and the old bones were dug up and carefully placed on the upper floors of these same houses.
At one time there was even a children's school on the first floor. I am still in a bit of shock from this whole story. We went there by chance and did not think or wonder about where we are. And the inner feeling did not deceive us - there really breathes some kind of evil spirit of death. Nevertheless, it was interesting to go there.
After visiting the cemetery Saint-Maclou everything went more or less standard. After passing just a couple of houses, we went to the main religious building Rouen – Rouen Cathedral. As always - gothic. Cute, like everything else. Partial renovations were underway. Therefore, a variety of structures will certainly fall into the camera lens, which, with a stretch, can be called part of the cathedral. Huge, impressive, and, according to tradition, beautiful.
Rouen Cathedral built in stages with 1145 on 1506 year. Before construction began, there was a basilica on the site of the cathedral, which was torn to pieces by the Normans in IX century. Then a Romanesque church was built. And finally - modern Gothic.
Rouen Cathedral badly damaged during the bombing Second World War. Then it was successfully restored. The first ruler of the duchy is buried in it. Normandy Rollon- comes from Scandinavia. Until now, Norwegians and Danes argue about his nationality. Almost like we Rurik.
The height of the cathedral 151 m. At the end XIX centuries, for several years it was considered the highest church in the world, but was soon "surpassed". To date, it has been "furnished" by two more churches - Ulm Cathedral(town Ulm v Germany) and Notre Dame de la Paix(in the capital Ivory Coast city Yamoussoukro).
At one time the cathedral was chosen Claude Monet. The artist created a whole cycle, which he called "Rouen Cathedral" — 50 paintings from three different points at different times of the year. Most of the paintings are kept in Musée d'Orsay v paris.
From the cathedral there is a street Rue du Gros Horloge, passing through which you can stumble upon the famous Rouen astronomical clock Le Gros-Horloge. Something similar to Prague, only a little more modest and a little less informative - time, days of the week and lunar phases. The silver ball on top of the clock tells you what phase the moon is in. Judging by the ball on that day, it was a full moon (or not :-)).
Mechanism Rouen Hours (Le Gros-Horloge) was made in 1389 year. The clock is rightfully the oldest clock of its kind in the world. France. And the mechanism is the largest in the world. Dial diameter approx. 2,5 m. V XVI century, the clock was placed in its present place, ennobling with a beautiful gilded Gothic facade.
The clock is on the very first France pedestrian street. And it is named after them Rue du Gros Horloge.
"Hour" street Gros Horloge
The street connects two large cathedrals and is the main tourist artery Rouen.
On the way to the clock, I glanced down one alley and could not resist going there. I was so interested in this building, which turned out to be Palace of Justice. Another Gothic architectural structure, consisting of a huge number of small statues, which can be viewed for a couple of years.
Palace of Justice built in XV century. One of the brightest representatives of the Gothic style, not only in Rouen, but also in Europe generally. Abundantly "hung with" small sculptures and "cheerful" gargoyles looking friendly from the roof of the building.
Initially, it was conceived as a gathering place for local rich Pinocchio merchants to discuss pressing problems. Then it became the main building of the treasury and the seat of the parliament. And in the years Great French Revolution played the role of a judge. Yes, they remained so in the aftermath.
Now, in addition to the administrative task, it performs a cultural one, accommodating two small museums.
It’s a pity there is a fence there, and it’s difficult to get through it, and, probably, it’s also punishable. They didn't check. Just walked around him. An interesting arch met behind the palace. Clearly some piece of antiquity. You can speculate what was there before, using the imagination.
We returned back, and, having passed through the arch with the clock, we soon came to a busy square, where we decided to take a breath and gather our thoughts. Further on our entertaining trip to Rouen.
Rouen– an interesting city with a good selection of attractions, mostly Gothic. At the same time, a small number of tourists are very pleased. A calm and leisurely walk through the ancient city, without constantly scurrying masses of people, and standing in line to view the monument - what could be better 🙂
