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, and in my belle France. 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 about curiosities of Rouen, part II !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The former church Saint Nicaise was founded by Saint Ouen, Archbishop of Rouen, in 640, it was then a chapel outside the city of Rouen, and housed the relics of Saint Nicaise, brought from Gasny. Under Saint Louis, it is included in the city. In 1388, it became a parish church, It had a great fire in March 9-10 1934 that left it with the only the gothic choir, The slow degradation continues until closing the church in 2002 , and finally desaclilation in 2012, It took a rebirth thanks to a brewery church concept with terrace and a museum space and the brewing shop, bar , restaurant ! It is now the first church brewery in France !! It is now closed to worship and disused since 2017. The church was returned to worship in 1940. The modern stained glass windows are by Max Ingrand. The concrete used for the reconstruction deteriorated badly and the church was closed to the public at the beginning of the 21C, It is the Brasserie Ragnar project that is selected, the project of three brewers from Normandy. Beer will be produced and consumed there. A museum area and a 40-seat restaurant will also be created. The stained glass windows and stones that require it will be restored so that the place is returned in good condition in the event of a change of activity. The structure will not be changed. The idea is to make a kind of Rouen-style Benedictine Palace, The project is schedule for end 2028. The current brewery is at 232 Rue du Beau Poirier, 76350 Oissel south of Rouen
The official Brasserie Ragnar :https://www.brasserieragnar.com/#brasserie
The Rouen tourist office on the former church St Nicaise: http://www.rouen-histoire.com/Eglises_Rouen/St-Nicaise.php
As an extension of the cathedral, this superb ensemble brings together the services of the archdiocese. Very nice garden. Usually only visit it on heritage days, but it’s worth the wait…An archbishop is the bishop of an archdiocese, that is to say the diocese at the head of an ecclesiastical province made up of several dioceses. The Archdiocese of Rouen is one of the oldest known bishoprics in Gaul, the first of the bishops and then archbishops of Rouen dating from the 3C. Viking raids in the 9C caused the loss of many records in Normandy. The list of bishops of Rouen was therefore reconstituted a posteriori, hence some gaps and the inclusion of legendary figures. Avitien is the first bishop attested historically since his presence is known at the Council of Arles in 314. The bishops of Rouen received the pallium for the first time in the 8C, which earned the privilege of its archbishops to bear the title today. honorary of primate of Normandy. The Archdiocese of Rouen is located at 2 Rue des Bonnetiers.
The Saint-André church is a former parish church, suppressed in 1791, of which the Saint André tower remains today. This church was located on rue aux Ours, formerly rue Saint-André, the apse on rue Ancrière. The Saint-André church known since 1027, became a parish church in 1124, The church was rebuilt from 1486: the nave was rebuilt in 1521, the tower was built from 1541 to 1546 and the large portal was completed in 1556. However, the dedication of the new building was made in 1526, On April 30, 1791, the church was closed for worship. On December 17, 1791, the church, the presbytery, the cemetery and the buildings surrounding the choir were sold as national property. The church served as a store, while the tower housed the workshop of a hunting lead foundry. In 1867, the tower was repaired without the octagonal spire, which crowned it and removed in 1683 by a hurricane, being reassembled. When rue de l’Impératrice (now rue Jeanne-d’Arc) was cut in 1861, the church was destroyed and only the tower with a height of some 35 meters was preserved.
The Rouen tourist office on the Tour Saint André : https://www.visiterouen.com/offres/tour-saint-andre-rouen-fr-4140367/
Designed as the chapel of the adjoining Corneille high school, the church offers vast proportions originally intended to accommodate students, teachers and residents of the district. It is the third largest church in Rouen in terms of volume, behind the Cathedral and the Saint-Ouen abbey. The first stone of the building was laid by Queen Marie de Medici in 1615. A fine example of the classical style, the main façade is decorated with four statues representing Charlemagne, Saint Louis, Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis of Assisi. Since 2016, the Chapelle Corneille has housed a 600-seat performance hall managed by the Opéra Rouen Normandie.
The Rouen tourist office on the former Chapelle Corneille: https://www.visiterouen.com/offres/chapelle-corneille-auditorium-de-normandie-rouen-fr-4134554/
Located a few steps from the Chapelle Corneille and the gardens of the Hôtel de Ville, the Benedictine monastery is a haven of peace. The establishment has been an integral part of the history of the city of Rouen since its foundation by the order of the Minimes at the beginning of the 17C. With the permission of King Henry IV, part of the church was built with materials from the ruins of the castle of Philippe-Auguste, of which the Rouen keep remains today. The Benedictines of the Blessed Sacrament replace the Minimes, driven out during the Revolution, from 1802. For more than 220 years, the nuns have occupied and animated the place, thus giving it a major role in the life of the inhabitants of the district. In addition to the Magdala biscuit factory opened in 1937, the monastery also offers student rooms. The monastery is not open to visitors, but the church is accessible to everyone. Typical of 17C religious architecture, it retains some Gothic features in its side nave. It also houses an exceptional set of 19-20C stained glass windows which are worth a visit on their own.
The Rouen Tourist office on the monastery Bénédictine: https://www.visiterouen.com/offres/monastere-des-benedictines-rouen-fr-4216385/
The Rouen train station or gare rive droite at place Bernard Tissot, The building is monumental in a late Art Nouveau style, to which is added the modernist statement of an exposed concrete structure. The clock tower is 37 meters high.
The SNCF gare et connexion site on the train station of Rouen: https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gares-services/rouen-rive-droite
There you go folks, a wonderful array of beautiful historical and architecturally stunning sights in Rouen, worth the walk in town , me think. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Rouen, part II !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 