This is another wonderful city to walk ,and many times in Arras, yet not done nothing on this wonderful monument until now, Thanks to finding me pictures in my cd rom vault that should be here for you and me. For reference, Arras is in dept 62 of Pas de Calais and in the region of Hauts de France of my belle France. Therefore, here is my take on the Cathédrale Notre Dame et Saint Vaast of Arras !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
The Cathédrale Notre Dame et Saint Vaast was built starting in 1778 as the abbey church of Saint-Vaast Abbey and became a cathedral in 1804, replacing the former Notre-Dame-en-Cité Cathedral, the large Gothic cathedral in the west of the old town, which had been destroyed during the French revolution. It is a classical-style building designed by the architect Pierre Contant d’Ivry, known for also having been the master builder of the Madeleine Church in Paris (see post) , From the moment you enter, you are struck by the style of the cathedral: it is French classicism of the second half of the 18C, with its return to the pure lines of Antiquity. The cathedral gives an impression of grandeur and majesty: 116 meters long with a transept of 56 meters, the dome at the transept bay rises to 38 meters.
In the classical style, the cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Vaast. The enormous exterior façade features the superposition of two Corinthian orders and a triangular pediment.
The choir is separated from the nave by a small dome on pendentives, marking the crossing of the transept. The aisles of the nave are covered with barrel vaults. The ambulatory is pierced with oculi. The choir is lit by stained-glass windows, where one can recognize the coat of arms of Cardinal de la Tour-d’Auvergne, the first Bishop of Arras after the French revolution, or those of Dom Vigor de Briois, Abbot of Saint-Vaast between 1749 and 1780.
The high altar is a large black granite table resting on three gilded bronze pillars. These are adorned with sculptures inspired by early Christian art such as doves, the Transfiguration, the Lamb, and the Three Lambs. The Calvary altar, located in the transept, is made of stone. The baptismal font, with its marble basin, is also located in the transept. The pulpit is made of the same material. In the nave are displayed eight marble statues of saints created in the second half of the 19C. They represent: Saint Denis, Saint Remigius, Saint Gregory of Tours, Saint Eligius, Saint Bernard, Saint Germain and Saint Genevieve, Saint Martin, and Saint John of Matha. Six reliquaries and shrines are displayed in the south transept of the building, recovered from the former Saint-Vaast Abbey and the old cathedral ; including the shrine of Saint Vindician, that of Saint Vaast, that of James the Greater, and the reliquary of Saint Aubert (see pic).
A bit of history I like tell us the abbey was completely rebuilt from 1745 onwards in the classical style then in vogue, including the abbey church, making it one of the largest monumental complexes undertaken in 18C France. Work on the church itself did not truly begin until around 1766. It ceased in 1792, during the French revolution, when the monks were forced to leave their abbey. The Great War or WWI caused enormous damage to the sanctuary, which was partially destroyed in 1915. The cathedral was returned to religious use on May 14, 1934.
The official Parrish of Arras on the Cathedral : https://www.paroisse-notre-dame-en-cite.com/cathedrale-notre-dame-de-lassomption-et-st-vaast/
The official Catholic site of Arras on the Cathedral : https://arras.catholique.fr/cathedrale
The city of Arras on its history: https://www.arras.fr/page/decouvrez-l-histoire-d-arras
The local Arras country of Artois tourist office on things to see: https://www.arraspaysdartois.com/en/the-essentials/dont-miss-the-must-sees-of-arras-the-top-10/
The local Arras country of Artois tourist office on the cathedral: https://www.arraspaysdartois.com/en/activities/en-la-cathedrale-et-labbaye-saint-vaast/
There you go folks, another dandy city this time of the north ! This is Arras, and indeed worth the detour for its architecture, history and just plain beauty of the Nord! Again ,hope you enjoy this post on the Cathédrale Notre Dame et Saint Vaast of Arras !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 