And I bring you to another memorable historical town of my belle France. We have been coming to Rouen since early in arrival in France back in 2003. We like it and I love the history and architecture around it. Let me update for you and me the Church Sainte Jeanne d’Arc of Rouen!!!
So I am embarking on a pilgrim route on my way to Normandie and I arrive at Seine-Maritime dept 76 in the beautiful old city of Rouen. What would you do? Well I tell you; you head straight to the Place du Vieux Marché and see the Church of Joan of Arc! There you have started well your visit to Rouen! Not really off the beaten path, but many sidestep it for the grandeurs of the other buildings, however, this one is a must to see. I like to tell you a bit more on the église Jeanne d’Arc de Rouen. The church is in the city center of Rouen, in the Place du vieux Marché. The daring architecture allows to admire the stained glass windows of the choir of the ancient Church of St. Vincent, formerly located at the bottom of rue Jeanne d’Arc and destroyed in 1944 during WWII. Its appearance evokes both a Viking boat and a fish. It was consecrated on April 29, 1979 , and it was inaugurated on 27 May 1979 by Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, President of the French Republic.(France).
A bit of history I like
The Church of St. Joan of Arc of Rouen dates from 1979. Its very modern curvatures rise in the middle of the Place du Vieux Marché, whose redevelopment ended in the same year. Initially on the square, there was a church dedicated to the Holy Savior. It was the parish of Pierre Corneille. It was closed in 1791; It was demolished in 1795 during the French revolution. In the Middle Ages and in modern times, the place was the heart of the city’s food trade. Under the Second Empire, its surface doubled; two large halls were built. Remembered long forgotten, we finally remember that the place du Vieux Marché had been the place of her torment. After the degradation of WWII, the city decided to set up this vast square in memory of the maid such as with the construction of a church and a memorial, highlighting the location of the pyre as well as the pillory where we exposed the condemned. Wood-framed houses were even rebuilt.
Before 1944 was, not far from the square, an old church dedicated to Saint Vincent, attested from the 12C. A flamboyant Gothic style, it was one of the richest and most beautiful in Rouen. Its beautiful canopies were dated from the Renaissance. The city made them hide for safety from 1939. Good anticipation: The Allied bombs destroyed the Church in 1944. The new church roof marries the shape of an overturned ship hull and the nave welcomes thirteen magnificent Renaissance canopies from the old St. Vincent Church. These canopies are an essential step in a visit to the city of Rouen. These thirteen canopies, created in the decade 1520-1530, were in the choir of the ancient Church of St. Vincent. Canopy 9 to 13 illuminated the ambulatory, with the Crucifixion in the central axis. The life of Christ, with four stained glass windows (childhood, Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection), illuminated the chorus. There was added the martyrdom of Saint Vincent, patron of the Church (No. 13).
The other canopies (1 to 8) were distributed in the Chapels. The stained glass windows 2, 3 and 4, relating to Sainte Anne and the Virgin including the sumptuous window of the chariots-adorned the Chapelle Sainte-Anne. Canopy 3, 5 and 6 were made by the famous Le Prince workshop in Beauvais. The other ten are attributed to workshops in Rouen. List of stained glass windows are: (13)
Glass of the life of Saint Peter, 1520-1530; Canopy of Sainte Anne, 1520-1530; Canopy of the Triumph of the Virgin or stained glass of the Chariots 1515 and carried out towards 1522; Canopy of the tree of St. Anne, 1520-1530; Canopy of the life of Saint John the Baptist, carried out in 1526; Glass of works of mercy, made in 1520-1530; Canopy of Saint Antoine of Padua, 1520-1530; Glass of Saints, 1520-1530; Canopy of Christ’s childhood and public life, 1520-1530; Glass of Passion, 1520-1530; Glass of the Crucifixion, 1520-1530, former axial glass of the Church of Saint Vincent; Canopy of the glorious life of Christ, 1520-1530; and Glass of the Martyr of Saint Vincent, 1520-1530.
Some webpages to help you plan your trip here ,and worth the detour are:
The city of Rouen on the Church: https://rouen.fr/eglise-sainte-jeanne-darc
The Rouen tourist office on the Church: https://www.rouentourisme.com/edifices-religieux/eglise-sainte-jeanne-d-arc-493/
There you go folks, another jewel on the map of my belle France and my neighbors the Normans! Do not miss to see this Church Joan of Arc in nice quant Rouen.
And remember, happy travels , good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
Leave a Reply