University of Virginia Library

15. Churches on the right bank of the Seine.

Notre Dame, St. Germain l'Auxerrois, St. Merry, St. Eustache, St. Roch,
Madeleine, Notre Dame de Lorette, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Jean Baptiste,
St. Eugène.

With a few exceptions the ecclesiastical buildings of Paris
are by no means worthy of the metropolis of a great kingdom,
over which a long succession of "most Christian" monarchs have
reigned. They are far inferior to the churches in many other
French and Belgian cities.

Out of the 41 parish-churches of Paris, therefore, it will not
be necessary to enumerate more than the following: 1. Notre
Dame, 2. St. Germain des Près, 3. St. Germain l'Auxerrois,
4. St. Merry, all four in the Gothic style; 5. St. Etienne du Mont
and 6. St. Eustache, in the style of the Renaissance; 7. St. Sulpice
and 8. St. Roch in the modern Romanesque style of the time

of Louis XV.; 9. Madeleine, in the Grecian style, as was customary
during the empire; 10. Notre Dame de Lorette and 11. St. Vincent
de Paul, in the latest Composite style; 12. Ste. Clotilde,
13. St. Jean Baptiste and 14. St. Eugène, modern Gothic.
Nos. 2, 5, 7 and 12 are situated on the l. bank of the Seine
(p. 162). These churches are open the whole day; even when
the principal entrance is closed, access may be obtained by a
side-door.

*Notre Dame de Paris, situated in the Cité island (p. 94),
was commenced in the 12th and completed in the 14th cent. The
dimensions of this fine Gothic structure are as follows: length
390 ft., width at the transept 144 ft., height of vaulting 102 ft.,
width of W. front 128 ft., height of towers 204 ft., height of
new spire 280 ft. The interior consists of a nave and choir with
four aisles and lateral chapels. The pillars of the nave support
pointed arches, resting upon decorated capitals. The three magnificent
rose-windows contain the sole remnant of the ancient stained
glass of the cathedral, coeval with the foundation. — The exterior
as well as interior of this celebrated cathedral of the archbishops
are somewhat disappointing. The situation is unfavourable, and
the sacred edifice itself has been sadly marred at different periods
by "embellishments", as well as by the storms of the Revolution,
during which period it was converted into a "Temple of Reason".
The disturbances of Feb. 15th, 1831, occasioned the total ruin
of the Archiepiscopal Palace on the S. side of the church, in
consequence of which that building has been entirely removed.

The most beautiful portion of the cathedral is the richly decorated
(restored subsequent to 1848) W. Façade, with its three
portals, each of which forms a succession of retiring arches, dating
from the commencement of the 13th cent. The fine rose-window
measures 36 ft. in diameter. The sculptures of the central portal
represent the Last Judgment. The N. portal, by which the
cathedral is usually entered, is dedicated to the Virgin, the S. portal
to St. Anne, and each is decorated with appropriate sculpture.
Above the doors are the statues of 28 French kings, from Childebert
I. to Philip II. (Galerie des Rois), which originally dated
from the 13th cent., were destroyed with the other sculptures in
1793, and have been lately restored. The interior is now perfectly
simple. It was much disfigured by a gaudy blue ceiling
with golden stars on the occasion of the baptism of the Imperial
Prince. This, however, has since been removed. The
chapels are now in process of being redecorated, but in somewhat
questionable taste.

The Nave, which contains nothing particularly worthy of note
is separated by a screen from the Choir, which is at present
undergoing a complete restoration.

Cards of admission (50 c.) to the choir and sacristy are procured
from the verger at the entrance in the r. aisle (if he is
absent, visitors ring). The recently constructed Sacristy or Treasury,
contains magnificent pontifical robes, most of them of modern date,
presented by Napoleon I., Louis XVIII. and Louis Philippe; monstrances
and other ecclesiastical utensils, croziers, mitres, crosses
etc., many of them gorgeously decorated with precious stones. The
lofty windows are filled with stained glass portraits of archbishops
of Paris and scenes from their lives; among others the death
of Archbishop Affre (p. 35). The bullet which caused his death
and a cast of his features are shown. Here too are preserved
the portrait and robes of his successor Archbishop Sibour, who
was stabbed Jan. 3rd, 1857, in St. Etienne du Mont in the presence
of a vast concourse of worshippers by a priest named Verger.

Contiguous to the sacristy is situated the picturesque Cour
du chapitre, a "joujou gothique", in the centre of which stands
a small fountain in the form of a shrine, surmounted by eight
seated figures of bishops.

In the 3d Chapel a monument of Archbishop Affre by Debay,
with his last words: "Puisse mon sang être le dernier versé".

The N. Chapels of the Choir contain two fine monuments;
one to the memory of the archbishop, Cardianl de Belloy (d. 1806),
a *group in marble, representing the aged prelate in his 99th
year giving alms to a poor woman and child, executed by Deseine;
the other to the memory of the archbishop Juigné (d. 1811).

The exterior of the wall which encloses the choir in decorated
with 23 remarkable reliefs in stone, dating from the middle of
the 14th century, representing scenes from the life of the Saviour,
the figures painted.

The ascent to the *Tower is on the N. W. side. A flight of
63 steps conducts the visitor to the office of the custodian (20 c.),
whence 305 steps more will bring him to the platform of the
tower; about half-way to the summit the great bell is usually
shown (for which a trifling gratuity is expected). With the exception
of the Tour St. Jacques, this is probably the finest point
of view in Paris, as it commands a prospect of the course of
the Seine with its numerous bridges. The environs of the church
have moreover been rendered more attractive by the magnificent
improvements of the present reign.

The long building on the bank of the river, on the S.W. side
of the cathedral, is the Hôtel Dieu, the most ancient hospital in
Paris and probably the oldest in Europe, having been founded
by Clovis II. in 660.

*St. Germain l'Auxerrois, situated opposite to the colonnade
of the Louvre, on the E. side, once the church frequented by the
royal family, belongs in its present form to the close of the

15th cent., when the purity of the Gothic style began to be
lost in richness of decoration. The interior consists of nave and
double row of aisles, surrounded by chapels. The remarkable
lowness of the roof gives it a depressed character.

From the tower of this church once resounded the preconcerted
signal for the massacre of St. Bartholomew. During
the whole of that night of horror the bell unremittingly tolled
its funeral peal.

On Feb. 14th, 1821, the anniversary of the murder of the
Due de Berry, a solemn mass was being here performed to his
memory by the partizans of the Bourbons, when the populace
forced their way into the sacred edifice, ejected the priests and
compelled the authorities to keep the church closed for a season.
It was subsequently employed as an office for the mayor of the
4th arrondissement, but was restored to its sacred uses in 1838.
The entire decoration of the interior is, therefore, of very recent
origin.

The W. front of the church consists of a Porch, from which
the church is entered by five portals. The interior of the porch
is adorned with frescoes on a gold ground, by Mottez. The central
fresco represents Christ on the Cross, surrounded by saints
(among them the Maid of Orleans); those on each side of the
latter represent the Sermon on the Mount and the Mount of
Olives; those over the lateral portals, Jesus in the Temple and
the Descent of the Holy Ghost.

Of the frescoes in the interior of the church, that which represents
the Descent from the Cross, by Guichard (1845), in the
S. transept, especially merits inspection. The pictures, however,
are seen in an unfavourable light, owing to the sombre stained
glass windows, which represent angels and saints, and are works
of no great merit.

The *Basin for sacred water in the S. transept, a group in
marble designed by Madame de Lamartine and executed by Jouffroy,
merits particular attention. It is surmounted by a beautifully
sculptured group of three angels around a cross.

A chapel of the choir contains monuments in marble of the
chancellor Etienne d'Aligre (d. 1635) and his son (d. 1674).
The contiguous chapel contains a figure in marble of an angel
praying.

The angel of the Last Judgment on the pediment in front is
by Marochetti.

With a view to give uniformity to the aspect of the Louvre
colonnade, the new Mairie of the first arrondissement has been
erected in the same style as the church of St. Germain l'Auxerrois,
on the opposite side of the Place. The tower between the
two has been erected simply to fill up the vacant space, a stopgap
which is said to have cost 2 million francs!

St. Merry (at the S. extremity of the Rue St. Martin, near
the Rue de Rivoli), founded in 1520 and completed in 1612,
possesses a remarkably fine portal in the florid Gothic style. The
modern frescoes in the interior, by Lehmann, A. Duval, Chassériau
(d. 1856) and Lépaulle are well worthy of notice. The adjoining
convent was obstinately defended by insurgents against
the troops of Louis Philippe, June 5th and 6th, 1832.

*St. Eustache, at the S. extremity of the Rue Montmartre,
with a nave and double row of aisles, is a strange mixture of
degenerate Gothic and modern style. Its erection occupied altogether
upwards of a century, 1532—1637; the W. portal, with
its columns of the Ionic and Doric orders, was commenced in
1752 and has only recently been completed. The proportions of
the interior are graceful and lofty, and produce a good general
effect. The chapels (with the arms of their founders over the
arches) are richly and tastefully gilded, and adorned with large
*Frescoes.

Right side. 1st. Chapel of the city of Paris.

2nd. Counts of Castille.

3rd. Family of Montescot; ancient frescoes recently revived
by Basset.

4th. Chantereau-Lestang; frescoes by Gourlier.

5th. Gentien; frescoes by Magime.

6th. Puysieux and Armenonville; frescoes by La Rivière.

7th. Rouillé and Le Couteulx: frescoes by Vauchelet.

8th. Machault; frescoes by Lazerges.

9th. Duval and Lesecq; ancient frescoes revived by Cornut.

10th. Dedicated to Sculpture and Painting; frescoes by Pils.

11th. Richelieu; frescoes by Damery and Biennourry.

12th. Duke of Orleans; frescoes by Signol.

Left side. 1st. Chapel. Penthièvre; frescoes by Glaize.

2nd. Nicolay; frescoes by Marquis.

3rd. Bullion; frescoes by Riesener.

4th. Fiesco and Strozzi; frescoes of the 16th cent., revived
by Basset.

5th. Leprêtre, dedicated to St. Eustache, whose relics are preserved
in this chapel. The frescoes, by Le Hénaff, represent
scenes from the life of the saint, who, under the name of Placidus,
was a Roman general under the emperor Titus.

6th. Menardeau.

7th. Roillart; *frescoes by Felix Barrias, representing scenes
from the life of St. Louis.

8th. Brice; *frescoes by Pichon.

9th. Bourlon; frescoes by Serrus.

10th. Valois; ancient frescoes, revived by Basset.

11th. Epernon; *frescoes by Delorme.

12th. Colbert; frescoes by Bézard. This chapel contains the
remains of Colbert (d. 1683), the able minister of Louis XIV.;
the monument consists of a sarcophagus of black marble, with a
figure in white marble of Colbert in a kneeling posture.

The frescoes of the Chapel of the Virgin are by Couture. The
sculptures in marble which adorn the High-altar are of admirable
workmanship. The organ, which has twice been destroyed, and
has lately been reconsructed by Cavalié, is also an object of interest.
St. Eustache is one of the most frequented churches in
Paris, especially on festivals, on account of the superior music.

The large space on the S.E. side of the church is occupied
by the *Halles Centrales (p. 18), the most extensive market in
Paris, especially for provisions of every variety.

St. Roch, Rue St. Honoré 296, near the N. side of the garden
of the Tuileries, erected in 1653—1740 in the degraded taste
of that epoch, possesses a portal in the Corinthian and Doric styles.
On the broad flight of steps by which the church is approached,
on the 13th of Vendémiaire, in the 4th year (Oct. 3rd, 1795),
Bonaparte placed the cannons which he fired upon the Royalists
who were advancing against the Convention, and thus checked
the progress of the counter-revolution. The church was restored
in 1865.

The interior possesses little worthy of note. The 5th chapel
to the l. contains a monument to the memory of the Abbé de
l'Epée, the celebrated teacher of the deaf and dumb. It consists
of a sarcophagus with a bust, to which two children are
gratefully raising their eyes, and bears the inscription: Viro
admodum mirabili, sacerdoti de l'Epée, qui fecit exemplo Salvatoris
mutos loqui, cives Galliae hoc monumentum dedicarunt. Natus
an. 1712, mortuus an. 1789. (To the extraordinary man the
Abbé de l'Epée, who after the example of the Saviour caused
dumb to speak, the citizens of France have dedicated this monument.)
Beneath is the alphabet of signs used by the dumb.
Adjacent to the monument is a black marble tablet with the inscription:
A l'Abbé de l'Epée, les sourds-muets suédois reconnaissants
(comp. p. 161).

The stucco reliefs in 14 compartments, with which the chapels
of the choir are adorned, represent the Passion. The third
of these chapels contains a picture by A. Scheffer, representing
St. Francis of Sales conducting a weary wanderer through the snow.

The chapel of the Virgin behind the high altar contains stained
glass representations of (to the l.) St. Denis the Areopagite and
(to the r.) Denis Affre, the archbishop who was killed at the
barricades; and two oil paintings: (to the l.) Jesus casting the
money changers out of the temple, by Thomas (1822), and (to
the r.) the Raising of the daughter of Jairus, by Delorme (1817).

The S. chapels of the nave contain several monuments of eminent
persons: those of Cardinal Dubois (d. 1723), minister of the
Regent Orleans and the participant of his shameless orgies (p. 45),
executed by Coustou; the Duc de Créqui (d. 1687), Marshal of
France, general in the German campaigns of Louis XIV., by
Coyzevox and Coustou; the artist Mignard (d. 1695); the landscape-gardener
Le Nôtre (d. 1700).

St. Roch is probably the most richly endowed of the churches
of Paris; the ecclesiastical festivals are celebrated here in the
most sumptuous style; music admirable.

*La Madeleine (accessible to visitors after 1 o'clock), or
church dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, situated at the W.
extremity of the boulevards, in the vicinity of the Place de
la Concorde, experienced during its construction all the vicissitudes
of the history of modern France. The foundations were
laid in 1764; the revolution found the edifice uncompleted,
and the works were suspended. Napoleon, whilst on his route
to Tilsit, Dec. 2nd, 1806, issued a decree, commanding the
building to be converted into a temple of Glory, and to
be furnished with the inscription: L'empereur Napoléon aux
soldats de la grande armée. The 5th article of the decree
was to the following effect: "Tous les ans, aux anniversaires
des batailles d'Austerlitz et d'Iéna, le monument sera illuminé,
et il sera donné un concert précédé d'un discours sur les vertus
nécessaires au soldat, et d'un éloge de ceux qui périrent sur le
champ de bataille dans ces journées mémorables. Dans les discours
et odes il est expressément défendu de faire mention de
l'empereur."

The destination of the edifice was altered by Louis XVIII.,
who proposed to convert the "Temple of Glory" into an expiatory
church to the memory of Louis XVI., Louis XVII., Marie
Antoinette and Madame Elisabeth.

The construction of the church was again interrupted by the
July revolution, and was not finally completed till 1842. The
entire sum expended amounted to 13 million francs (520,000 l.).
This magnificent structure stands in an open space, upon a basement
about 20 ft. in height. Its form is that of a Grecian temple,
328 ft. in length, 138 ft. in breadth, surrounded by Corinthian
columns 50 ft. in height, of which 14 support the pediment of
the S. front, 15 are ranged along each side, and 8 form the N.
portico.

The niches in the walls contain statues of Saints especially
revered in France, commencing to the r. with the Angel Gabriel and
terminating on the l. with the Angel Michael, all by modern sculptors.

The inscription on the S. front is: D. O. M. sub invoc. S. M.
Magdalenae. (To the Almighty God, through the invocation of
St. Mary Magdalene.)

The tympanum contains a high relief of vast dimensions, by
Lemaire, representing the Last Judgment. The entire length is
126 ft., height in the centre of the pediment 24 ft., figure of
the Saviour in the centre 18 ft. in height.

The church is approached by a flight of 28 steps, occupying
the entire breadth of the edifice. The bronze *Doors, 33 ft.
in height and 16½ in breadth, are adorned with illustrations of
the ten commandments, designed by Triquetti.

The interior, the walls and floor of which are of marble, is one
spacious nave or hall, illuminated by cupolas, and sumptuously
gilded and decorated with paintings. The Chapelle des Mariages,
to the r. of the entrance, contains a group in marble by Pradier,
representing the nuptials of the Virgin; the Chapelle des Fonts,
or baptismal chapel, to the l., is adorned with a group, by Rude,
representing Christ and John the Baptist in the Jordan. The
light is unfortunately insufficient to display these fine groups to
the best advantage.

Each wall is divided by four piers, forming six chapels, which
are decorated with statues of their different patron saints, and
pictures representing scenes from the life of Mary Magdalene.

Right side. 1st Chapel, Ste. Amélie, by Bra, Mary Magdalene's
conversion, by Schnetz; 2nd Chapel, the Saviour, by
Duret, Magdalene at the foot of the cross, by Bouchot; 3rd Chapel,
Ste. Clotilde, by Barye, Magdalene in the wilderness praying with
angels, by Abel de Pujol (d. 1861).

Left side. 1st Chapel, St. Vincent de Paul, by Raggi, the
Supper of Bethany and Magdalene washing the feet of Christ,
by Couder; 2nd Chapel, the Virgin, by Seurre, Angel announcing
the Resurrection to Magdalene, by Coignet; 3rd Chapel, St. Augustin,
by Etex, Death of Magdalene, by Signol.

The *High Altar consists of an admirable group in marble by
Marochetti, representing Mary Magdalene borne into Paradise by
two angels. Beyond it, the semicircular ceiling of the choir is
adorned with a fine fresco by Ziegler, representing the gradual
propagation of Christianity; beneath the figure of Christ, to the
right is St. Louis kneeling beside the Magdalene, Godfrey de
Bouillon with the oriflamme, Richard Cœur de Lion, the Doge
Dandolo and others; also a scene from the Grecian war of liberation;
to the left, Charlemagne, Pope Alexander III. blessing
Frederick Barbarossa, the Maid of Orleans, Raphael, Michael Angelo,
Dante etc. In the centre, Henry IV. entering the Church of
Rome, Louis XIII., Richelieu; Napoleon I. receiving the crown
from Pope Pius VII.

When the principal door and gate are closed, access may
be obtained by the entrances on the E. or W. side of the church.

*Notre Dame de Lorette, at the N. extremity of the Rue
Laffitte, in the vicinity of the Boulevard des Italiens, was erected

in 1823—37 in the style of an early Christian Basilica, and dedicated
to "Beatae Mariae virgini Lauretanae", as the inscription
informs us. The interior with its gaudy decorations rather resembles
a ball or concert-room than an ecclesiastical edifice.

Some of the frescoes which cover the walls are by eminent
artists. At the extremities of each of the two aisles are chapels;
that to the r. is the Baptistery, frescoes by Blondel; at the opposite
end, Chapel of the Eucharist, frescoes by Périn in the other
side, Burial Chapel, frescoes by Blondel; at the opposite end,
Chapel of Nuptials, frescoes by Périn. The choir is decorated
with two large paintings, to the r. the Presentation in the Temple,
by Heim, to the l. Jesus teaching in the Temple, by Drolling.
Beneath the windows, and above the columns and entablature,
the walls are adorned with frescoes representing scenes from the
life of the Virgin. The service is here conducted with great
pomp: singing and music very fine.

*St. Vincent de Paul, in the Place Lafayette, in the vicinity
of the Station du Nord, erected in 1824—44, is also in the
Basilica style, but a more successful specimen than Notre Dame
de Lorette. Length 243, breadth 108 ft.

The church is approached by a broad flight of steps, resembling
a spacious amphitheatre. On each side of the Ionic portico
rise lofty square towers. The pediment of the portico contains
a relief by Lemaire, representing St. Vincent de Paul, the guardian
of foundlings; before him are Sisters of Charity in a kneeling
posture, to the r. and l. Religion and Charity. The iron gates
of the principal entrance are ornamented with representations of
the twelve Apostles.

This church consists of a nave with a double row of aisles,
of which the two external are divided into chapels: the remaining
two are under the same roof with the nave and separated from
it by Ionic columns of artificial porphyry. Over the aisles are
galleries, supported by columns of the Corinthian order. The
nave and choir are illuminated from above, the aisles by side-windows
filled with stained glass by Maréchal, representing different
saints. The interior is gilded and painted throughout in the
most gorgeous style.

The chapels, as well as the choir, are separated from the
rest of the church by richly gilded railings. The stalls of the
choir and the rest of the woodwork of the interior are elaborately
carved. The frieze is adorned with a series of figures of saints,
apostles, prophets, martyrs and popes, painted by Flandrin
(d. 1864), the semi-cupola of the choir with a group representing
the Saviour surrounded by saints, painted by Picot.

St. Vincent de Paul is situated near the N. extremity of Paris,
in one of the most elevated situations in the city. From this
point to the Barrière d'Enfer, at the opposite extremity of the

town, is a distance of 4½ M. The nearest lines of omnibus
communication are those which run W. through the Rue du Faubourg
Poissonnière, and E. through the Rue du Faubourg St Denis.
Visitors to the church of St. Vincent de Paul will probably find
the omnibuses to the Station du Nord the most convenient of the
public conveyances.

The open space in front of the church and adjoining the
Hôpital Lariboissière, erected in 1847 and deriving its appellation
from the munificent bequest of a countess of that name, was the
scene of an obstinate conflict between the troops of the guard and
the insurgents in June, 1848. Contiguous to the hospital is
situated the magnificent new Station du Nord.

*St. Jean Baptiste, situated without the former Barrière de
Belleville, on the most elevated ground in the city, a beautiful
specimen of a modern Gothic church, was erected by the architect
Lassus (d. 1857) and consecrated in 1858. The central bas-relief
above the entrance is illustrative of the life and death of John
the Baptist. The lofty spires are 180 ft. in height, the church
itself 205 ft. long, 74 ft. broad and 58 ft. high. The interior,
which is cruciform and consists of a nave and two aisles, is somewhat
bare and destitute of decoration; it is, however, proposed
to adorn it with frescoes.

St. Eugène, erected during the present régime, in the style
of the 15th cent., from designs by Boileau, is situated in the
Faubourg Poissonnière, on the site of the former Garde Meuble.
The walls alone are constructed of stone, the decorations of iron.
The interior is gaudily painted and the windows filled with
stained glass of no artistic merit.

Protestant Churches (Temples Protestants). Calvinist:
L'Oratoire, Rue St. Honoré 147, opposite to the N. entrance of
the Louvre. — Ste. Marie (formerly Eglise de la Visitation des
Filles Ste. Marie), Rue St. Antoine 216, near the Place de la
Bastille. — Pentemont, Rue de Grenelle St. Germain 106, near
the Ministère de l'Intérieur, on the l. bank of the Seine.

The first two of these churches were conceded to Protestant
congregations in 1802, the last during the reign of Louis Philippe.

The Eglise Evangélique, Rue de la Victoire, corner of the Rue
St. Georges, is a French reformed church independent of the state.
Service in all the above at 11. 15 a. m.

Lutheran (Confession d'Augsbourg): Temple des Carmes
Billettes, Rue des Billettes 16, to the N. of the Hôtel de Ville.
Service at 12 in French, at 2 in German. — Temple de la Rédemption,
Rue Chauchat 5, in the vicinity of the Grand Opéra,
fitted up as a place of worship in 1853. Service at 11.

Church of England. For trustworthy information visitors are
recommended to consult the Stranger's Diary of the Saturday

number of Galignani's Messenger. It is, however, improbable
that any alteration will be made in the hours of service subjoined.

Chapel of the Embassy, Rue d'Aguesseau 5, Faubourg St. Honoré;
services at 11. 30, 3. 30 and 7. 30. — Marbœuf Chapel,
Avenue Marbœuf 10, Champs Elysées; services at 11 and 3. 30.
— English Chapel, Rue de la Madeleine 17; services at 8. 30,
11. 30, 3. 30 and 7. 30.

Protestant American Chapel, Rue de Berry 21; services at
11. 15 and 3. 30. — American Episcopal Church. Rue de la
Paix 7, services at 11. 30 and 3. 30.

Church of Scotland: Chapel of the Oratoire, Rue de Rivoli 160;
services at 11 and 3.

Wesleyan Chapels: Rue Roquépine 4, contiguous to No. 41
Boulevard Malesherbes, near the Madeleine. Service on Sundays
at 11. 30 a. m. and 7. 30 p. m., on Wednesdays at 7. 30 p. m.