In my nostalgic saga of my family visits to wonderful places in my belle France, we found one sublime City, Take your time to visit Rouen, it is sublime to say the least and of course , a must to visit, The gorgeous city in the Seine-Maritime dept 76 of the region of Normandie. We have come here often many times, and glad to finally be back again, this time from the Morbihan breton ! . I have my wonderful memories with family visits and even if we are fewer today, the memories lingered forever, I like to tell you more of the Church Saint Maclou of Rouen, part II !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Church of Saint-Maclou is in city center/ downtown Rouen, and is a marvel of Flamboyant Gothic architecture which we like a lot and always not only visit but walked by there each time in Rouen. The church was built between 1437 and 1517. Its name is taken from Maclou who was one of the seven founding saints of continental Brittany. He would have lived between the 6C and the 7C. First given to the island of Notre Dame de Rouen in the 10C and the chapel also took this name thereafter, which will be the only one on the island and whose name will persist until our days.
A first sanctuary was built in the 10C on an island in the Seine in a marshy area. The chapel was then raised to parish status thanks to King Louis IX in 1253. A third parish church, which was rebuilt on the first two, saw its nave collapsing in the early 15C due to lack of maintenance, The construction will be partially completed in 1480 before the construction of the bell tower. The church was consecrated the following year by the Archbishop of Rouen, Georges II of Amboise. The construction is possible thanks to the financial participation of the parishioners which begins in 1333, as evidenced by the small cartulary. and the great cartulary of the factory. Donations and various contributions allow the purchase of a rood screen, ornaments of gold cloth and crimson velvet , the construction of a new sacristy, the installation of large doors with sculpted minds.
The plan of the church presents a non-projecting transept with respect to the side chapels. Saint-Maclou Church retains the Norman tradition of the lantern tower like Notre-Dame Cathedral, but in addition, it serves as a bell tower. The 83 meters spire which surmounts it was built from 1868 to 1872. The ambulatory has no axial chapel and the choir has an apse with four sides instead of three or five, as for most churches whose particularity is to present a pillar in the axis of the church, It has a west façade in which opens to a rose window. In front of this façade is a five-bay porch arranged in an arc , surmounted by gables. The three central bays are home to three gates, two of which are adorned with carved wooden doors, the work of the cabinetmakers of the Renaissance. The main portal is adorned with scenes of the Resurrection of the dead in his covings and a Last Judgement on his eardrum,
The Saint Maclou Church preserves the Norman tradition of the lantern tower it acts as a steeple.. The sacristy to the east of the church is a pastiche neo-renaissance, whose marble columns are authentic and come from Italy.
The city of Rouen on the Church Saint Maclou: https://rouen.fr/eglise-saint-maclou
The Rouen tourist office on the Church Saint Maclou: https://en.visiterouen.com/offers/eglise-saint-maclou-rouen-en-3940872/
There you go folks, a dandy Saint Maclou Church one to be visit for sure. This time we came and could not get in as they were filming a concert serie in the whole church for several days! However, we have seen it before and is one of the places to see in wonderful Rouen. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Church Saint Maclou of Rouen, part II !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 