Maison Carrée

The Maison Carrée is a Roman Temple first century BC become a church with the Middle Ages then a ancient Musée of arts S today, located place of House-Square in the center of Nimes. At that time, the Roman Emperor Auguste conquered this city under the name of Nemausus . Maison Carrée is dedicated to the glory of the two grandsons of the emperor: the Consul S and military chiefs Lucius Caesar and Caius Julius Caesar.

Structure

Its Architecture is inspired by that of the Temple of Apollo to Rome, as testify its proportions to them (26 Mètre S length, 15 of width, 17 height) and influences it Greek antique proclamation. Surrounded by slim columns with the capitals Corinthian S, and of a Cornice decorated of a plank very ornamented on three on the sides, the temple related to its Frontispice, registered in letters of Bronze sealed in the stone, a Dédicace explaining the role of the building. This dedication is disappeared today, but thanks to the provision of the still visible holes of sealing, the large scholar nîmois Jean-François Séguier managed in 1758 to recompose the original text: With Caius Cesar Consul and Lucius Caesar Consul indicated, wire of Auguste, princes of youth. .

History

Roman epoch

Monument emblematic of the city, built with the turning of the Christian era, between -16 and -12 per the general and politician Marcus Vipsanius Clutched (son-in-law of Auguste), Maison Carrée is the only temple of the Antiquité to being completely preserved. The temple was dedicated to the grandsons of the emperor (children of its Julia daughter): the Consul S and military chiefs Lucius Caesar and Caius Julius Caesar, died in 2 and 4 a. J. - C., become its adoptive sons after their Adoption.

This small Roman Temple, one of the Temple S most famous and best preserved Roman world, raised on its top podium, dominated the forum , administrative center and economic heart of the ancient city. A gantry, which one can still observe the base of the columns on the contiguous place, surrounded Maison Carrée and extended well beyond towards north, thus appearing the site of the forum nîmois.

The Middle Ages

The history of the building is animated. It is quasi miraculous that it arrived to date in if good state. After having been a temple, the building was used as assembly to the judges.

, Maison Carrée was used like consular house of Nimes, i.e. like office of the Consul S (name given to the Moyen-âge with some alderman S of the South of France) (kind of Town hall).

The building then undergoes many transformations to adapt it to the needs for its new occupants. The Historien nîmois Leon Ménard gives a description of these transformations imposed on the old Roman temple:

Initially one divided the interior into several parts, and even into two stage S; one formed there Voûte S, one built there a Cheminée, which were leant against the wall of raising, and a Escalier with screw against that of the setting one. Moreover, to light these new apartments, one made several Fenêtre S there square. The consuls added in the continuation something to this order. They made close the Vestibule by a wall, which went from one column to the other, then, one opened other windows and one made a Cave underground vault of the hall, One cut down also the Perron.

It became thereafter a house of dwelling, a stable, then a church (the church of the Augustins). Property of the ecclesiastical , it was coveted by the duchess of Uzès to make of it a tomb for its husband.

French revolution

It was the meeting room of the Directoire during the revolutionary age, then became the Préfecture department of the Gard.

Restored, like the other monuments nîmois, at the 19th century, Maison Carrée relates, engraved in Roman letters to the western side, a short Latin text in : Repaired by the munificence of the king and the money offered by the citizens, 1822. .

Today

Today it contains the showrooms of the Musée of the Antique S of Nimes.

In 1992, Maison Carrée received a news Toit RUE, faithful reproduction of the ancient original, composed of large Tuile S punts ( Tegula E ) and tiles channel ( imbrices ) moulded with the Main.

In 1993, the British architect Norman Foster built opposite Maison Carrée a building called Carré of Art, designed to accommodate a museum of Contemporary art, and thought like during modern of Maison Carrée. It also refitted the contiguous place in order to ensure a harmony between the two buildings.

Maison Carrée inspired the creation of other buildings, in particular the neo-classic church of the Madeleine, with Paris, or the State Capitol of Virginia to the the United States.

Concerning the name

Maison Carrée bears this name since the 16th century. Indeed, in the Former French, all geometrical Figure having four right angles was designated by the “square” word: the “long square” was the Rectangle and the “perfect square” our current Carré. Here the reason for which, in spite of its name, Maison Carrée is of form rectangular.

See too

Square of Art
Culturespaces (management company of the museum)

External bonds

Official site of Maison Carrée
Maison Carrée on the official site of the city.
Romanité in Nimes, on the site of the Tourist office.
Nemausensis History of Maison Carrée.

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