Churches in Paris: Sainte-Chapelle

[This post is the last post of Year 4.  Thanks for following the blog.  After a hiatus, the blog will return for Year 5.]

What is the most beautiful church in Paris?

Many people, including us, think Sainte-Chapelle is the most beautiful church in Paris.

What makes Sainte-Chapelle so beautiful are its stained-glass windows.  We attended a concert here several years ago, and we were enthralled by the magical, bejeweled setting as we listened to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons."

Saint-Chapelle was completed in 1248 in the Gothic style.  Unlike Romanesque churches before, Gothic churches benefited from improved construction techniques that allowed churches to have tall, thin walls with many windows.  

Saint-Chapelle is a wonderful example of the Gothic style.  Its numerous tall windows allow the sun to light the windows and illuminate the church's interior with warm colors.  

Sainte-Chapelle was commissioned by French King Louis IX, known as Saint Louis, to house a collection of relics of the Passion. The most valuable relic was the crown of thorns, which was housed in this chapel until it was later moved to Notre Dame.  (When the huge fire recently broke out in Notre Dame, the superintendent and a corps of brave firefighters rescued the crown of thorns and it was not destroyed.) The church was built next to Louis IX's palace on the Île de la Cité.

Sainte-Chapel is also beautiful because nearly every surface is painted or decorated in some way.  For example, the ceiling of the lower lower chapel is colorfully decorated. 

Below are more examples of the church's ornate or polychrome decoration.

Entry to the upper chapel

Thanks for visiting the Saint-Chapelle with us.

Parks in Paris: Jardin du Luxembourg #4

The Jardin du Luxembourg was a favorite destination during Year 4, whatever the season.  The garden was always lovely and full of people.  

Here are a few photos from a visiting during late Autumn.  Enjoy!

A panoramic view of the Jardin du Luxembourg, including the palace

A view of the garden, with the Pantheon in the background

Thanks for visiting the Jardin du Luxembourg one last time.  

Churches in Paris: Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés

One of the oldest religious sites in Paris is located on the Left Bank.  In the 500's, a Benedictine abbey was established on marshy land outside the walls of Paris.  From the palace inside Paris, the king, who sponsored the abbey, could see abbey across the fields.

The abbey included a church, which was completed in 558 and dedicated by German, Bishop of Paris.  German was later canonized as Saint German and the church was rebuilt and rededicated to him.  The name of the church is  Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, or the church of Saint German in the fields.  Currently, it's hard to picture the ancient fields that once surrounded the church; it is located on busy Boulevard Saint Germain, squeezed between large cafes, shops, and bustling sidewalks.

The church has been rebuilt several times over the centuries and very recently a restoration project inside the church was completed.  The church is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.  What is remarkable about the church is its brightly colored interior.  Although the exterior is a rundown mixture of pale stones, the inside is astonishing! Nearly every interior surface is painted.  Walking into the church is like stepping into a medieval painting.   Let's take a tour.

The church is home to many important tombs, including the tombs of Saint Germain, several Merovingian kings and philosopher Rene Descartes.  The tomb of King Casimir of Poland (pictured below) is especially grand.  

Another tomb is pictured below.  Jean-Claude liked it because it depicts the occupant in a relaxed pose. 

William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus in Scotland

Thanks for visiting Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés with us.

Museums in Paris: Musée des Arts Forains

Recently, we had the rare opportunity to visit the Musée des Arts Forains (the Fairground Museum).  The museum, which normally hosts private events, infrequently opens to the general public and it was opened to the public for just a couple of weeks during the winter holidays.

The Musée des Arts Forains, established in 1996, is unique.  The collection features antique carnival rides and other artifacts from the 1800's and 1900's.  The museum is also unique because it is located in former wine warehouses in Bercy on the edge of Paris.  The museum is even more unique because it was a filming location in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris.

The Musée des Arts Forains is located in former wine warehouses (photo left and right).  Wheeled carts carried wine casks on the rails in the center of the photo. 

Let's tour the museum, which is filled with all sorts of artifacts from carnivals and fairs of the past.     

  

The museum offered several live performances, including a magician and a performer who played the violin while making strange harmonic sounds with his mouth.  

Of course, the museum had some funhouse mirrors.  We liked the mirror that made us tall and skinny.  Jean-Claude did not like the mirror that made him short and wide.  

The museum has several working carousels.  Kids, young and old, enjoyed riding them.  

Our favorite carousel was created in 1897, the Manege de Velocipedes.  Instead of horses, riders sat on bicycles that sped around carousel.  

You can get an idea of the carousel's speed by clicking on the video below.  

Jean-Claude was intrigued by a musical fountain (pictured below).

You can click on the video below to see and hear the fountain.

Our favorite thing in the museum was a very French carnival game.  The game featured racing French waiters.  Each participant moved a different waiter toward the finish line by rolling a ball into holes with varying points.  The fastest, highest point total won the race.  

You can see the waiters actually race by clicking here. 

Thanks for visiting the Musée des Arts Forains with us.  We had a great time that was out of this world.  

Churches in Paris: L'église de la Madeleine

L'église de la Madeleine, or La Madeleine, is a very large church in the center of Paris.  Completed in 1842, the church's exterior resembles a Roman temple, which is precisely what Napoleon intended.  (What else would an emperor want?  Napoleon did not live long enough to see the completed building).  The interior architecture is ornate with classical and Renaissance elements.  

  

The large church is located at the intersection of several major streets in Paris.  As a result, it is visible from many directions, which is precisely what was intended.  

Below is a photographic tour of La Madeleine

The exterior of the church is lined with statues.

 

The ornate interior of La Madeleine is amazing.

Saint Augustine

Joan of Arc

The baptism of Jesus

A shrine to beloved singer Johnny Hallyday, whose funeral was held in La Madeleine in 2017

The views of and from La Madeleine are lovely, especially at night.  

Looking up Rue Royale

Looking down Rue Royale toward the obelisk, the National Assembly across the river and Les Invalides in the distance

Thanks for visiting La Madeleine with us.

P.S.  You can read about the church's history below.