Paris1972-Versailles2003

Walking Paris is always sublime , enormous feeling of architecture and history all around you, and beauty. This is another dear area of mine ,walked with the family several times, and voilà glad found me pictures in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me, This is a wonderful souvenir of my walks with the family in my eternal Paris. Therefore, let me tell you on the Church Saint Germain des Prés of Paris !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

 The Saint-Germain-des-Prés Abbey includes the current Church Saint-Germain-des-Prés, is a former Benedictine abbey, located 3 place Saint-Germain-des-Prés in the 6éme arrondissement or district of Paris. Founded in the middle of the 6C under the name of Basilica Sainte-Croix and Saint-Vincent by the Merovingian King Childebert I and Saint Germain, bishop of Paris, it owes its current name to the latter. It is a royal abbey, which therefore benefits from an exemption and is directly subject to the Pope. The first abbey church was consecrated on April 23, 558 to the Holy Cross and to Saint Vincent de Saragosse, A wonderful huge complex needs more but I am trying ,,,,harder, I will tell you more of the church on this post,

Before the Abbey of Saint-Denis and until King Dagobert, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés was the royal necropolis of the Merovingian kings in the 6-7C. Many kings of the first dynasty and their wives were buried there. There was a basilica and a monastery there, which were dedicated to Saint Germain around 754, in memory of the Bishop of Paris. The abbey was destroyed by the Normans at the end of the 9C and rebuilt at the end of the 10C, The monastic buildings were rebuilt at the beginning of the 13C. Until the 18C, the abbey was a spiritual, intellectual, and artistic center, famous for its copyist monks. During the French revolution, the abbey was dissolved. The buildings were used as a saltpeter refinery, which caused considerable damage. It was returned to worship in 1803. Restorations were undertaken in the 19C. It was under Baltard that the church was adorned with numerous frescoes and paintings. Despite the transformations over time, the Church Saint-Germain-des-Prés has retained the original elements that give it an undeniable Romanesque appearance. It is one of the few churches in Paris that can be linked to the Romanesque style.

The nave bears the hallmarks of the Romanesque art of the Île-de-France region, while the choir and ambulatory reveal the influence of Early Gothic. Note the 17C quadripartite vault and the gilded capitals of the nave columns. The nave is typical of Romanesque art: small windows and semicircular arches supported by pillars with engaged columns. Above the arches, beautiful 19C frescoes depicting episodes from the Old Testament. The wall of the south aisle remains bare. That of the north aisle is embellished with beautiful 19C paintings.

The choir and apse were built in the 12C, and both bear the hallmarks of Early Gothic. These small columns come from the first Merovingian basilica. The very classical stained-glass windows of the apse were executed in the 19C. See the beautiful axiale Chapel of the Virgin

The white marble pulpit is from the 19C, of neoclassical inspiration. To its left, we see a statue which is an allegory of the Law. The pulpit is surmounted by a canopy supported by two caryatids which recall ancient mythology. The north transept with the altar of Saint Francis Xavier and the mausoleum of John II Casimir, King of Poland in 1648 and commendatory abbot of Saint-Germain in 1669. Altar of Saint Francis Xavier with statue of the saint. The frescoes above were painted in the 19C by Sébastien Cornu.

The Paris tourist office on the Church Saint Germain des Prés: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/culture/eglise-saint-germain-des-pres-p1011  

The official Church Saint Germain des Prés on visiting it : https://eglise-saintgermaindespres.fr/l_eglise/accueil-touristique/

The City of Paris on the Church Saint Germain des Prés : https://www.paris.fr/lieux/eglise-saint-germain-des-pres-16869

The Paris tourist office on walks in the Saint Germain des Prés quartier or neighborhood : https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/a-walk-in-saint-germain-des-pres-a925

This is the wonderful way to walk Paris and see these beautiful monuments ,and they are many.  This is a nice area, and walking is good for you too, sublime walk. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Church Saint Germain des Prés of Paris !!! as I.

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