Q.Latin SAINT ETIENNE DU MONT: the façade

SAINT ETIENNE DU MONT: the façade

 

In the VI century king Clovis built a church dedicated to the Apostle Peter and Paul. He wished to be buried there with his queen Clotilde by the side of Saint Genevieve.

Because of the canon of the Augustinian order the church became and abbey. (royal abbey with direct control of the Holy See).

In the XIII century the abbey is too small and the holy service is practice in the crypt of the abbey. The number of habitants has increased.

When the Pope knew the problem of the size of the church he allowed Sully, bishop of Paris, to build a new church adjoining the abbey church.

By the end of the XV century this church having grown too small, a new church is going to be built, so the present church was built between 1492 and 1626.

According to medieval customs, the construction of the church started by the chancel and the bell tower following by the nave and the cloister.

The first stone of the façade was laid by Queen Marguerite de Valois in 1610. (the first wife of Henry IV)

At the revolution the new church of Saint Genevieve was secularised (it is now the Pantheon).

The famous shrine of Saint Genevieve was melted down, the bones were burnt and the ashes thrown into the Seine.

The abbey church was pulled down in 1807. (the bell tower is in the high school Henry IV)

According to Napoleon III’ wishes it was dedicated “to the Glory of Great Men”.

The façade is the work of Hilaire with influences of Philibert de l’Orme.

The façade is very interesting because of the harmony of the different styles.

The most important element is the ornamentation.

We have a mannerist façade with a renaissance decoration.

We recognise a principal fore part which take us to the main nave. It is very ornamented and to the right and to the left side two aisles without ornamentation.

The fore part (avant-corps) rises in three levels. We observe three pediments (fronton) with different shapes: triangular in shape, semi-circular in shape and a gable (pignon)

On the first level: /in the lower level

The portal with a pediment with four banded columns (colonne annelée ou baguée) with composite capitals.

The columns support a triangular in shape sculpted pediment.

Decoration:

On the top of the doorway: is represented the Resurrection

Tympanum: the martyrdom of Steven. (by Jules Thomas)

In the niche, on the right side: Saint Etienne (by Joseph Ramus),

On the left side: Saint Genevieve (by Pierre Herbert)

On the second level:

A pediment where we found a rose-window flanked by two niches: the archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Marie.

On the third level: /in the upper level

Finally, on the top of the façade a gable (pignon) which housed a small oval in shape rose-window.

The rose window is flanked by pilasters and above it, there is a small pediment.   

The gothic elements are represented in the façade by the rose-window, the gable and the clerestory windows.