Three late 13th century portals surmounted by gables open in the façade. Under the central portal are two =mutilated statues=: _on the right_, Saint-Augustin; _on the left_: Saint-John-the-Baptist clothed in the skin of an animal. A graceful clerestory gallery, continued at the back round a wide platform, which at one time formed a gallery above the grand nave, separates the central portal from the large rose-window set in an irregular arch. The latter has lost its interior net-work of mullions and is surmounted by a gable. The gallery and rose-window are late 14th century. [Illustration: FRONT OF THE ABBEY OF ST-JEAN-DES-VIGNES BEFORE THE WAR.] A two-storied tower crowned by a spire rises above each of the side portals. The first story dates from the end of the 14th century. The upper part, which differs in each tower, is more than a century later. The south tower (_on the right of the photo below_), was about 230 feet in height. The north tower, finished in 1520, was higher (about 244 feet) and more massive. On the first story in the niche next the large rose-window, a statue of the Virgin faces a statue of the Angel of the Annunciation, which stands on the opposite buttress of the south tower. Both stories of the north tower, separated by a Flamboyant gallery with very sharply pointed gables, are pierced with large bays divided by a mullion. On the west side, against the mullion of the upper bay, is a figure of Christ crucified. The octagonal spire, surrounded by four turrets, is pierced on each face by three openings of different sizes, the largest being under-most, while its angles are adorned with projecting crockets. [Illustration: NORTH TOWER. SOUTH TOWER. THE FRONT IN 1918.] [Illustration: THE DOORWAYS IN THE MAIN FRONT (1918). _Part of the ornamental stone-work was damaged by fire in 1870. Key-stones of the vaulting were shattered by shell-fire in 1914._] [Illustration: SOUTH TOWER. NORTH TOWER. THE REAR SIDE OF THE MAIN FRONT. _On the left: Entrance to the Cloister._] The façade of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes after the bombardments. Previously, in 1870, the façade of the church had been badly damaged. The German shells set fire to a store of hay housed under the porches, the splays of which were destroyed (_p. _46). In 1914, it suffered fresh injury, both spires being struck by shells. The south tower lost its upper part, the remaining portion being torn open at the base. The other tower was badly indented near its point, while the carvings of the buttresses were injured. The whole façade was moreover pitted by shell-splinters.