Cathedral Our-Lady-with-the Assomption of Clermont

See also: Notre-Dame, Our-Lady-with-the Assomption

The Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame of the Assumption in Clermont-Ferrand was preceded, with the same site, of three Christian sanctuaries . The major part of its current construction dates from the 13th century.

It is at the top of the central hillock which forms the old center of Clermont-Ferrand, on the place of the victory, just beside the statue of the Pope Urbain II, which launched the first crusade in 1095.

Stages of construction

At the 5th century, Holy Namace, a bishop of the city of the Arvernes, made build a first cathedral obtaining thus that the Christian worship left its ghetto of “vicus christianorum”. It dedicated this building to the saints Vital and Agricol which one made come the relics from Bologna. The aspect of basilical plan is known to us by description that made of it Gregoire de Tours. Long of 43 Meter S, it was decorated of Marbre, had a Nef and two collateral reached a maximum, a Transept and seventy columns. It was destroyed in 760 by Pépin the Brief.

This one, repenting its act, gave an important sum to the bishop Haddebert to finance its rebuilding which lasted of 764 with 768. This second building was again destroyed by the Normands in 915.

The bishop Etienne II made build a third Romance cathedral, which was devoted in 946. It passed for an unequalled model and was probably used as prototype with many churches in Auvergne.

The Crypt date of the 10th century; it includes/understands a déambulatoire and radiating chapels. It has a Sarcophage 4th century out of white marble.

In 1248, the bishop Hugues of the Tower decided to launch the building site of a new cathedral, taking as a starting point the the Ste Chapelle which had made its amazement at the time of a passage to Paris. To build a church in the prestigious Gothic style of North would thus enable him to affirm its supremacy on a city which had been given to the episcopal capacity just a few decades before. Our-Lady-of-port, inspired by the cathedral of Etienne II again would then be exceeded.

The building site was entrusted to Jean Deschamps has which one owe also the cathedrals of Narbonne and of Limoges. Inspired by Beauvais and Amiens, it carried out original plans where the windows do not occupy all space available between the supports and do not have formeret arcs, where the warheads are with direct penetration under the vault, where the elliptic plan of the pillars of the roundabout of the chorus lets all the light of the apsidal windows penetrate in the sanctuary and where clever overflows of the terrace make it possible to make the turn of propping up.

The principal originality of the building is the material used: the Pierre de Volvic (of Trachy-andésite type) which gives a color sinks and whose resistance made it possible to raise pillars of a great slenderness.

Jean Deschamps worked of 1248 with 1287 on the chorus, in which Saint-Louis married his/her son, the future Philippe Bold the, with Isabelle d' Aragon. Perhaps the king financed for this occasion, part of the stained glasses which appear to leave the same workshop as those of the Ste Chapelle. The chorus, the transept and the beginning of the nave are completed towards 1295.

Pierre Deschamps took the succession of his/her father until in 1325, pushing work beyond the crossing of transept. Of 1325 with 1340, the turns of the arms of transept were raised by an unknown project superintendent. One of them is familiar for us: the tower of Bayette, highest, which owes its name to the guettor that one posted at his top (Bayer wanted to say to watch for).

Of 1340 with 1355, Pierre de Cébazat, known to have worked with Chair-God, completed the three spans of the nave, which made it possible to join the Romance towers of the church of Etienne II. The disorders of the One hundred year old war did not leave him time to complete its work. During the years which followed, the chapter was satisfied to make carve a new casing for the door of its Sacristie.

The pink with dominant blue placed at the top of the northern gate dates from the 14th century as that with orange tonality which overhangs the southern gate. Both fall under a square of 8,50 side meters.

Between 1444 with 1474, was placed above the chorus the bell-tower known as “of the return”, genuine lace of openwork stone. It was cut down after 1741.

Between 1507 and 1512 was high a high covered roof of Plomb, to replace the roof of origin. A blazing Gothic project of frontage was refused by the chapter because its cost was too high.

During the Révolution, the revolutionists wanted to cut down the church, but the Benedictine Verdier-Latour succeeds in persuading them that it would constitute an excellent popular gathering place. Only jubé, stalls, furnace bridge, statues and furniture, except for the Pascal candlestick of Philippe Caffieri, were destroyed and three of the turns of the transepts were shaven. Bayette had its survival only with its practical utility: it gave the hour!

The Romance frontage of the cathedral of Etienne II was cut down in 1851.

It was necessary to await 1866 so that work of completion, completed starts according to the plans of Purple-the-Duke by his pupil Anatole de Baudot. In 1884, the Western frontage with its arrows and the last span of the nave were finally completed in the complete respect of the methods of construction of the Moyen-âge. Only the size a little drier of the stones marks the difference. Little noticed detail, the interior of the building was entirely painted in Faux apparatus. Emmarchement of access on the street of the Fats was carried out, as for him, only with the whole beginning of our century. Curious detail, during this work the native house of Blaise Pascal was destroyed.

Dimensions

Overall length: 99 Mr.
Length of the chorus: 36 Mr.
Length of the Nave and the Transept: 46,75 m
Width of the Transept: 32,70 m
Height of the Transept crossing : 28,70 Mr.
Height of the sides: 14,30 Mr.
Height of the tower of Bayette: 50,70 m
Height of the arrow S: 108 Mr.

Complementary photographs

Random links: