We have come quite often to Nantes, a City that needs to be visited more by all. A wonderful historical city with many monuments to see, many wonderful properties. I was again on my local road warrior mode and as bit not back, decided to give it a refresher to this must to visit City of Nantes, Loire-Atlantique dept 44 of the Pays de la Loire region,in my belle France ; even if old Bretagne! Do read my previous posts on the city as well, For now let me tell you about the wonderful Basilica Saint Nicolas, part II !! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Basilica Saint Nicolasis located on Rue Affre and dates from the 19C. The construction started in 1844 and lasted 25 years. It took no less than 15 years to erect the bell tower. The builders were faced with difficulties due to the narrowness of the terrain. They had to make an exception to the tradition, which meant that all the Catholic buildings should be oriented eastward, towards the Rising Sun, which represented the risen Christ. The Basilica Saint Nicolas has the peculiarity to be on a north-south axis. The Church is made of granite and stones. Its architecture is neo-Gothic style.
The Basilica Saint Nicolas is nestled between Place Royale and rue du Calvaire, massive and chiseled in a neo-Gothic style. The Esplanade entirely renovated in 2017 makes it a pleasant passage square between terraces and small shops. It is 86 meters long, 32 meters wide, 24 meters high under the vaults, an arrow going to pierce the sky 100 meters, the monument is proudly imposed in the landscape of Nantes.
The Basilica Saint Nicolas consists of four buildings: the porch tower, the nave of the faithful, the transept and the bedside composed of five radiant chapels. The bedside is therefore polygonal. The nave is of eight spans including those of the transept, the choir is composed of six bays, three of which are for the chapels of the apse. The roofs of the basilica are in saddleback except the bell tower which is equipped with an arrow roof.
The Basilica Saint-Nicolas was built on three work campaigns ,these were from 1844 to the end of 1848: the apse, the sacristies, the choir, the transept and the first two spans of the large nave, From 1851 to 1854: after demolition of the old church, the entire nave and aisles, and from 1865 to 1869: the southern facade and its bell tower-porch. The church was consecrated on October 10, 1876 ,and it became basilica in 1882. The bedside of the basilica were strongly affected by the bombings of 1943, was rebuilt after WWII. Under the impetus of Félix Fournier, parish priest and future bishop of Nantes, the construction of the current church spanned from 1844 (laying the first stone) to 1869 (blessing of the church), The bell tower houses a ringing of 5 flight bells, melted in 1882. The voix de Dieu (voice of God) 7 270 kg, Anne-Joséphine-Aimée: 2,896 kg, Louise-Anne-Cécile 2,031 kg, Joséphine-Elisabeth-Louise:1 451 kg, and Celeste: 876 kg. The bumblebee is one of the 10 cloches with the most serious sound in France.
The Basilica Saint Nicolas was the first church inspired by romanticism which, with the liberal arts, delivered the fine arts of ancient academism. It can be considered as the manifesto of neogothic rationalism of Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus. It is distinguished by its monumentality: the extent of its nave with five vessels, its double ambulatory with radiant chapels, the play of the double-flying buttresses, the pyramidal composition of its facade, its bell tower-porch are all architectural elements which make it a major building of the city.
A bit more from the Catholic parish of Nantes, and brochures on site of the Basilica Saint Nicolas of Nantes !
A chapel or a small branch church is erected between the second half of the 11C and the end of the 12C. At that time, the sector was part of the Saint-Similien parish. In 1226, Duke Pierre I of Brittany launched the construction of an enclosure which includes the Saint-Nicolas district. At the beginning of the 15C, the fortifications having deteriorated, the Duke François I has renovated the walls and rebuilt the Porte Saint-Nicolas (at the junction between the current rue de l’Arche-Sèche and rue du Commandant-Boulay), The Saint-Nicolas Church is the subject of work: its name is mentioned for the first time on a document of 1444, the church was at that time in the heart of a parish which bears its name from 1450, the church knows successive enlargements thus are acquired the plots which separate the church from the Courtine, and the church nave is therefore based on a section of the old stone wall of Pierre Ier, whose vestiges are still visible to 21C in rue Duvoisin, which runs along the current church to the west. Successive extensions are such that they justify a new inauguration on February 24, 1478. Two of the significant elements of the church are a stained glass window of 20 meters high and an altar decorated with 26 statues , In the middle of the 17C, the bell tower threatens ruin, the work can start in 1766, and ended in 1772 , The bedside was flat, and its apse was at the site of the current rue Affre, and one could access it by a porch from Place Félix-Fournier. The church always presents its monumental stained glass and its ornate altar.
The Catholic parish of Nantes on the Basilica : https://notredamedenantes.com/la-basilique-saint-nicolas/
The Heritage site of the City of Nantes on the Basilica : https://patrimonia.nantes.fr/home/decouvrir/themes-et-quartiers/basilique-saint-nicolas.html
There you go folks, do visit Nantes,and its wonderful monuments. A must to visit while in the City ; see the memorable Basilica Saint Nicolas, part II !! Again, hope you enjoy this post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
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