Paris1972-Versailles2003

Once again look deep in my vault and found more pictures in old albums of this wonderful cathedral, anyway I took all the pictures and threw away the album too old and pages falling off, The quality may not be tops but in my blog for the memories of always, Therefore, this is my new take on the Church Saint Etienne of Beauvais !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I

Beauvais is in dept 60 of the Oise in the region of Hauts de France. Most folks know it better for the low cost airport there, however they are missing a lot by not going into Beauvais proper. I like to tell you a bit about Beauvais and its monuments. For orientation it is 53 km from Amiens, 54 km from Compiègne, 67 km from Paris and 72 km from Rouen, so ideally located. It is ,however, 522 km from my current home.

 This one is here because found me a couple pictures of it so will tell you a bit more on the Church Saint Etienne or St Stephens.  A bit of history on the Church Saint Etienne tell us that Saint Firmin, who came to evangelize the region, was arrested and then issued from the prison by the inhabitants of the city. He decides to raise a church dedicated to Saint Étienne in the place of his detention. This was undoubtedly an important place of worship, especially since in 982, it recovered, for 12 years, the relics of Saint-Vaast (bishop of Arras), which would have done, in the past, made many miracles in the region. But in 1180, a serious fire ravaged the city and seriously damaged the church … After the fire, it was decided to rebuild a new church in the 12C. It’s today, the nave and the transept that we can see from this period. The clock and the bell will remain until the French revolution. There are not many documents concerning the church, from the 12C to the 16C. It seems that the church does not have much to suffer from the Hundred Years War. Life around the church was very prosperous, especially in the drapery trade,

A new choir is built, in a flamboyant Gothic style, as it was done at the time. Starting around the perimeter in 1506, then the large altar in 1522 , and sumptuous stained glass are installed. Construction ends with the implementation of an imposing rose, and a fence that encloses the choir so that the canons are at home. Also, raise a monumental tower at the site of the first 2 northern spans of the nave. In 1672, the old bell tower, even rebuilt, is still not sure, because resting on too damaged stones. The bell tower is therefore dismantled, and the bells transferred to the tower in 1674; the work was completed in 1731, the roodle, deemed unsuitable, was replaced by a grid, as well as the walls surrounding the choir are removed.In 1774, the master altar , as we can see today, was installed. The Church Saint-Etienne will not escape war against religious buildings.during the French revolution, In 1792, the Harangues tribune was demolished, the bells melted, the furniture and statues vandalized ,and the dome of the tower demolished without precaution. Finally, the church is refurbished for fodder and oats. We pierce a door under the stained glass of the Jesse tree, destroying its lower part. The fall of the choir’s rose causes the attic above the chapel of the Virgin. Cult was not restored in the Church until 1796. After the damage to the 1940 bombing, the stained glass windows that had been sheltered, went up and the restorations carried out.

There is a beautiful stained glass window of the 16C, we see Jesse, David’s father below, surrounded by two kings presented in the guise of François I on the left and Charles Quint on the right.Above Jesse, the chronology is not well respected. King Salomon, son of David, is represented above his grandfather and under his father who carries a harp. At the very top, above two prophets who designate her with her hand, the Virgin Mary, nimmbe of light, carries Jesus Child.

The city of Beauvais on the Church Saint Etienne: https://www.beauvais.fr/tourisme/eglise-saint-etienne.html

A private site Association Beauvais Cathédrale on the church : https://cathedrale-beauvais.fr/eglise-st-etienne/

There you go folks, just touch bases here, but this is a must to visit and do come in to Beauvais, the choices are endless, amongst them the Church Saint Etienne are a must to see. I am glad finally found some photos to show it in my blog.  Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Church Saint Etienne of Beauvais as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!