In the middle: The towers around the old choir. On the left: The North Front and Main Doorway. On the right: Entrance to Margueritte College, leading to the Bishop’s Palace and the Cloister (_see pp. 49–51_).] _In the middle_ is the entrance portal; _on the right_, the Western Transept and the Towers enclosing the remarkable, square-shaped old Choir; _on the left_, the Eastern Transept and polygonal apsis of the Great Choir (_photo below_). _In front of the Towers, on the right of this photograph, is the_ entrance to Margueritte College, _giving access to the_ Bishop’s Palace _and the_ Cloister (_see pp. 49–51_). The Entrance Portal (_North Front_) The Gable and Buttresses of the portal are 13th century. Its secular ornamentation replaced, in the 18th century, Gothic statues, which were destroyed as uncouth. The portal is placed between two chapels; that on the right (16th century) is called “The Chaplet,” on account of the chaplets carved on the buttresses. The Towers The present bells weigh four and six tons respectively and date from 1756. They were so cast as to have the same proportions and tones as those of the St. Germain-des-Prés Church in Paris. The Apse of the Great Choir The basement is the remains of a Roman apse. The upper portion dates from the end of the 14th century. [Illustration: APSIS OF THE GREAT CHOIR, SEEN FROM THE BANKS OF THE MEUSE (_see p. 34_).] The bas-reliefs are Roman carvings, re-utilised in the Gothic buttresses. _From right to left_ they represent _Adam and Eve_; the _Annunciation_ (the Virgin and Angel are separated by a tree, whose shape recalls the Tree of Life on the Chaldean cylinders reproduced on the cloth-stuffs exported from Byzantium); _Cain and Abel (through an error in perspective, frequently to be found in Egyptian art, the bust and trunk of the two patriarchs are shown in profile, whilst the feet are facing frontwards)_; an unknown bishop. [Illustration: THE GREAT NAVE In the background: The old choir and organ-loft (the organs had been removed). In the foreground: The marble balustrade of the Great Choir protected by sandbags] The Great Nave and two Choirs The Great Nave was very seriously damaged by the bombardments. Several bays of the vaulting fell in, leaving bare the timber-work of the roof in ruins. _On entering the Cathedral by the Central Portal in the North Front (see p. 43)_ the old Choir _(photos, p. 44) is on the right, and the_ Great Choir with ciborium _(p. 45) on the left_. [Illustration: THE GREAT NAVE BEFORE THE WAR In the background: The Old Choir and the Great Organ. In the foreground: The balustrade of the Great Choir] [Illustration: THE GREAT NAVE SEEN FROM THE OLD CHOIR In the background: The Great Choir and the Ciborium. The ruined vaults have bared the damaged framework of the roof]