that the student of French medieval architecture should limit his enquiries to Paris (he should, as a matter of necessity, visit Caen, Rouen, Chartres, Strasburg, Bourges, &c. and that rich mine of architectural wealth, the southern and south-western portion of France), we would encourage any antiquarian visitor of the French metropolis to examine its medieval buildings, for he need not fear to obtain therefrom much valuable architectural information. For the aid of any such person we subjoin a few notes on the principal ecclesiastical edifices of Paris now remaining[1].
St. Germain des Pres.—This abbatial church ranks as the earliest of any now extant in Paris, although there are portions of decorations belonging to the church of Montmartre which are of a still more remote epoch. The deed of foundation was dated A.D. 550, and the buildings of the church with the abbey were finished A.D. 557, in which year the dedication was made by St. Germanus himself. The church and abbey were pillaged by the Normans in A.D. 845, 857, 858, and burnt in A.D. 861, 885. Although the church was not entirely destroyed, a new one was founded by the Abbot Morard, A.D. 1014, and this was finally completed and dedicated by Pope Alexander III., A.D. 1163. Of the original church a portion probably remains under the western tower, where a massive arch, low and perfectly plain, supports the eastern wall of that part of the edifice. The nave is most probably of the date 1014, and the choir of the final date of 1163. Nearly all the abbatial buildings, except this church and the abbot's lodgings (of the time of Louis XIII.), with the well-known monastic prison called L'Abbaye, have perished. The church is cruciform, with a circular east end, and a single aisle running all round. At the east end is a circular-ended Lady chapel, and chapels join on all round the aisles of the choir. Immediately to the east of the transept, on the northern and southern sides of the edifice, stood two lofty towers ending in spires, which were unnecessarily taken down by an ignorant architect within the present century, and are now only on a level with the walls of the church; at the west end a single tower, capped with a spire, is still standing. Considerable damage was done to the nave and transepts in
- ↑ The damage done at the Revolution was immense, but it fell more on conventual than on parochial edifices. Some of the finest churches in the city were, however, then either destroyed or irreparably defaced.
