Verdun (France) -- Guidebooks; Verdun, Battle of, Verdun, France, 1916
This fine spacious building was erected in 1725–1755 from the plans of
_Robert de Cotte_. It has two terraces and a garden, with a view over
the whole town. Under the First Empire it was a senatorial palace.
At the time of the separation of the Church from the State it was
turned into a =museum=. The latter contains a fine collection of medals
and coins, also numerous fragments of the ancient Abbey of St. Vanne,
which was inside the Citadel. These fragments include the remains of a
Pagan altar, a Corinthian capital with Barbarian ornamentation, and an
ivory comb with inscriptions, said to have been given by Emperor
St. Henri to the Abbot of St. Vanne in 1024.
[Illustration: THE BISHOP’S PALACE. FAÇADE LOOKING ON THE COURTYARD AND
ENTRANCE TO THE MUSEUM.]
[Illustration: THE CLOISTER
On the left: Aisle of the Cathedral (_see p. 47_) and the Transept with
ruined roof. In the background: The East Gallery of the Cloister]
The Cloister (_Hist. Mon._ 13th and 14th centuries)
_The door of Margueritte College and the courtyard of the Bishop’s
Palace lead to the Cloister (see photos, pp. 43 and 49)._
Although Gothic in structure, parts of the carved decorative work
announced the coming Renaissance (helmeted warriors and antique
personages crowned with laurels).
Some of the keystones of the vaulting, representing bloated, bearded
faces, are said to be caricatures of the canons of the Cathedral, made
by the workmen who built the cloister, to revenge themselves for the
Church’s stinginess.
[Illustration: THE WEST GALLERY IN WHICH THE STAIRCASE LEADING TO THE
CLOISTER OPENS OUT (1914)
The arrangement of the blind windows against the walls is very rarely
met with]
[Illustration: THE CLOISTER SEEN FROM ONE OF THE CATHEDRAL TOWERS
In the background: the East Gallery. On the right the Seminary and
South Gallery in ruins. In the town is seen St. Saviour’s Church
against the green background of the fortifications]
The heavy Seminary buildings, erected on two of the galleries, are 19th
century. They were almost entirely destroyed by the bombardments.
[Illustration: THE SOUTH GALLERY OF THE CLOISTER BEFORE THE WAR
Its present state is shown in the above photograph]
_On leaving the Cathedral, the tourist arrives almost immediately at
the small Place Châtel, the highest point of the town. Take, the Rue
Châtel to the_ =Châtel Gate=.
[Illustration: CHÂTEL GATE. BEHIND THE CATHEDRAL.]
From the ancient “Fermeté” rampart, only this machicolated gate
(formerly called “Champenoise”) is visible near the small “Place
Châtel.”
_On leaving the Châtel Gate, go down the Rue des Hauts Fins to the
corner of the_ Rue Montgaud: Blockhouse for four machine-guns to defend
the town.
Cross the Esplanade de la Roche to the =Citadelle=.
THE CITADELLE
From the Esplanade de la Roche, the arrangement of which dates from
1780–1783, there is a fine view of the Meuse valley and the prairies
known as =Pré-l’Evêque=.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account