The Cathedrals of Northern France

Lady-chapel, XIIIth century

NOTRE DAME DE LAONDimensions

Length of nave and choir, 351 feet

Height of nave, 80 feet

Width of nave, 67 feet, 7 inches

Length of transepts, 174 feet

Width of transepts, 35 feet, 9 inches

Height of western towers, 173 feet

Height of southwest tower and spire (formerly), 328 feet

Western circular window, 26 feet

Superficial area, 44,000 square feet (approx.)

Chronology

Original church burned, 1112

New edifice begun, 1114

Entirely rebuilt, 1190

General restoration, 1851

ST. JULIEN, LE MANSDimensions

Length of nave and choir, 369 feet

Width of nave and aisles, 78 feet

Width of choir, 123 feet

Height of choir, 108 feet

Area of choir, 30,000 square feet (approx.)

Length of transept, 178 feet

Width of transept, 32 feet

Chronology

West façade, XIth century

Transition, south portal, XIIth century

Nave and transepts reconstructed, XIIth century

Church extended beyond city walls, XIIIth century

Choir rebuilt, 1200

Choir restored, 1858

Coloured glass, XIIIth, XIVth, XVth centuries

Rose window, south transept, XVth century

Former Bishop's Palace destroyed by Germans, 1871

ST. ETIENNE DE MEAUXDimensions

Height of nave, 109 feet

Length of nave, 275 feet

Length of transepts, 120 feet

Chronology

Bishopric founded, 375 A.D.

Choir in part, XIIth century

Restored, 1852

ST. PIERRE DE NANTESDimensions

Height of western towers, 270 feet

Height of nave, 130 feet

Chronology

Remains of choir contains, XIIth century

Romanesque church rebuilt, XVth century

West front, 1434-1500

North transept and choir only completed in XIXth century

Tomb of François II. and Marguerite de Foix, 1507

Later restoration, 1852

NOTRE DAME DE NOYONDimensions

Length, 338 feet

Width of nave and aisles, 64 feet, 10 inches

Height of nave, 74 feet, 6 inches

Height of aisles, 28 feet, 9 inches

Height of choir, 26 feet, 3 inches

Height of towers, 200 feet

Superficial area, 30,000 square feet (approx.)

Chronology

First constructed, 989

Burnt, 1131

Rebuilding undertaken, 1137-1150

Choir, transepts, and nave completed, 1167-1200

Timber work burnt, 1293

Chapter-house built, XIIIth century

Five bays of cloister built, XIVth century

Restored under governmental supervision, 1840

ST. CROIX D'ORLEANSDimensions

Height of towers, 280 feet

Height of nave, 100 feet

Chronology

First bishops sent from Rome, IIIrd century

Cathedral destroyed by Huguenots, 1567

Chapels of nave which still remain, XIVth century

Late Gothic mainly of XVIIth century

Western towers completed, 1789

NOTRE DAME DE PARISDimensions

Length, 390 feet

Width, 144 feet

Height of nave, 102 feet

Diameter of rose windows in transept, 36

feet

Superficial area, 64,100 square feet

Chronology

Founded by Bishop de Sully, 1160-1170

High altar dedicated, 1182

Interior completed (approx.), 1208

West front, 1223-1230

Western towers, 1235

Transept portals, 1257

NOTRE DAME DE REIMSDimensions

Western towers, 267 feet

Area, 65,000 feet (approx.)

Chronology

First stone laid, 1212

First portion dedicated, 1215

Chapter takes possession of choir, 1244

Nave commenced, 1250

Transept and abside ornamented, 1295

South tower begun and completed, 1380-1391

Coronation of Charles VII., 1427

Southwest tower completed by Philastre, 1430

Tapestries added to choir, 1444

Belfry of the Angel built, 1497

Gable of the Assumption and Zodiac, 1408

Reëstablishment of grand altar, 1547

Repairs to portals and vaulting, 1610

Cathedral becomes national property, 1790

Exterior repairs and restoration, 1811

General restorations, 1840

2,083,411 francs voted by Chamber for restorations, 1875

Gifts of Gobelin tapestries, 1848

NOTRE DAME DE ROUENDimensions

Length of nave and choir, 450 feet

Width, including transepts, 177 feet

Width of nave and aisles, 105 feet

Length of choir only, 118 feet

Height of nave, 92 feet

Height of central spire, 480 feet

Height of Tour de Beurre, 252 feet

Height of Tour St. Romain, 246 feet

Area (originally), 53,000 square feet

Chronology

First church founded on site of cathedral by St. Mellar, VIIth century

Cathedral enlarged under Rollo, who was buried therein in 930

Consecrated and dedicated, 1063

Tour St. Romain, remains of, XIth century

Destroyed by fire, 1200

New building completed, XIIIth century

Portail de la Calende, XIVth century

Tour de Beurre laid, 1487

Tour de Beurre completed, 1507

Flamboyant west front, XVIth century

Altar of St. Romain, XVIIth century

Tomb of the Cardinals, 1556

Central spire, 1823

Restoration of west front, 1897

ST. ETIENNE DE SENSDimensions

Length, 384 feet

Width, 124 feet

Height, 98 feet

Area, 44,000 square feet

Chronology

Relique of True Cross given by Charlemagne, 800 A. D.

Early church destroyed by fire, 970

New church dedicated, 997

Present building completed, 1168

Choir rebuilt, 1174

Present transept and nave, XIIth and XIIIth centuries

Glass in chapel of St. Savinien, XIIIth century

Glass of rose windows, XVIth century

Mausoleum of the Dauphin, XVIIIth century

BASILIQUE DE ST. DENISDimensions

Length of nave and choir, 354 feet

Width, 133 feet

Clerestory windows (height), 33 feet

Chronology

Chapel first built above grave of St. Dionysius the martyr, 275 A. D.

Benedictine abbey first founded here in reign of Dagobert, 628

Pope Stephen took refuge here, 754

Romanesque façade, 1140

Consecration of the building, 1144

Nave, XIIIth century

Abbot Suger died, 1151

General restoration by Suger's successors, XIIIth century

Crenelated battlement added to façade, XIVth century

Spire burned by lightning, XIXth century

General restoration by Viollet-le-Duc, 1860

Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette reinterred here (removed from the Madeleine), 1817

NOTRE DAME DE ST. OMERDimensions

The great bell of tower weighs 8,500 kilos.

Chronology

Bishopric founded, 1533

Astronomical clock, XVIth century

Tomb of St. Erkembode, VIIIth century

Tomb of St. Omer restored, XIIIth century

Former Episcopal Palace, now Palais de Justice, 1680

ST. GATIEN DE TOURSDimensions

Length of nave and choir, 256 feet

Width, 95 feet

Chronology

Choir begun, 1170

Tour Charlemagne, XIth century

Tour St. Martin, XIIth century

Transepts, 1316

West façade, 1430-1500

Southwest tower, 1507

Tomb of children of Charles VIII., 1483

ST. PIERRE DE TROYESDimensions

Length, 394 feet

Width, 168 feet

Height, 96 feet

Height northwest tower, 202 feet

Chronology

Apse and chapels, 1206-1223

Choir and transepts, 1314-1315

Iron grille of choir, XIIIth century

Church consecrated, 1430

West façade, XVth century

Nave constructed during XIVth, XVth, XVIth centuries

North gable, XVth century

Tower St. Pierre, 1559-1568

Northwest tower demolished by lightning, 1700

Vaulting of transepts fell, 1840

Restoration of choir and transepts, 1840

VII

The French Kings from Charlemagne Onward

VIII

Measurements of the Cathedrals at Amiens and Salisbury

(Whittington)

(The old French foot is the equal of 1.06576 English feet.)

The above comparative measurements are given as being of the contemporary types of English and French cathedrals, being nearly approximate to each other as to the date of their erection and measurements. The figures themselves are transcribed from a little-known but thoroughly conscientious work by G. D. Whittington, entitled "Contributions to an Ecclesiastical Survey of France."

IX

French Metres Reduced to English Feet

X

A Brief Glossary of architectural terms, with popular definitions, as applied to the components which compose the principal features of a cathedral church

No. 1. Ground Plan

No. 2. Cross Section

No. 3 Interior

No. 4. Cross Section