Church of St. Trophime, Arles

The former Cathedral of St Trophimus is a Roman Catholic church in Arles in southern France. She was first abbey church of the Benedictine Order, and later Bishop Church of Arles. It represents today the most important building of the city of Arles and a significant example of Romanesque architecture dar. The Romanesque part of the church was built in 1100-1150. Between 1454 and 1464 then the Gothic choir was added and made ​​some other changes. On the south side was until 1792 the monastery of Saint Trophimus, arranged around the cloister of the church.

History

The Holy Trophimus was consecrated in 250 AD as bishop and was the first bishop of Arles. The first Council of Bishops in Gaul was 313 in Arles instead. Pope Zoimus appointed the Church of Arles in 417 to Primatiale the Gallic Church. Between 430 and 449 a basilica was built on this site in honor of St. Stephen, under the episcopate of St. Hilary. St. Augustine of Canterbury 597 returned from England to Arles back after he had converted the King, the Queen and senior members of the English nobility to Christianity, which connects the church in Arles until today with the Anglican Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the 8th century, the city of Arles was devastated by raids of the Saracens, Danes and Normans, where the church was destroyed. In the 9th century, built a new basilica and already 813 was the first Local Council in the newly-built Basilica of St. Stephen instead. In the year 972 was transferred to the first time the relics of St. Trophimus into the church. However, these were in 1078 transferred back to Alyscamps, another church in Arles.

End of the 11th century Arles was with 15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants, the second largest city in Provence. It was independent as the Kingdom of Arles and attracted many religious orders, who built a number of churches. At that time ( 1100-1150 ), the cathedral was built on the site of the Carolingian previous building dating from the 9th century. Components of the previous building were thereby used for this construction again. Thus, the lower side walls of the vessel are part of the earlier church. As the construction of the bishop's church, it was decided we saw in the holy Trophimus the appropriate saints for the church patronage. The remains of St. Trophimus were transferred on the initiative of Raimon de Mont Redon on September 29, 1152 the church, which officially bears his name since that time. Between 1160 and 1180 they built the cloister in the monastery.

By the Archbishop of Arles, Raimon de Bollène, was the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Frederick I ( Frederick Barbarossa ), crowned on July 30, 1178 in the Cathedral of the King of Burgundy.

1450 died of Cardinal Louis Aleman, Office of the Archbishop of Arles and was buried in the cathedral. On whose grave some miracle should be done in sequence. As revealed by an increased flow of pilgrims, it was decided to expand the church. From 1454 to 1464 (other sources give 1445 to 1465 on ), the church was enlarged, where you replaced a part of the Romanesque choir by a larger Gothic choir. The Royal Chapel was built at that time. The Royal Chapel got its name from the Flemish by the painter Finsonius 1610-1614 prepared painting " Adoration of the Magi ".

In 1695 the interior was refurbished in the style of the Renaissance. During the French Revolution, the cathedral was closed as a bishop 's seat. The reigning Bishop Jean Marie Du Lau was executed and moved the diocese to Aix -en- Provence. The cathedral was downgraded to a normal parish church.

In 1870 Prosper Mérimée was a chief architect of the historic mansions remove everything distorted the essence of the original Romanesque church. Thus, the church interior was given its present appearance. 1882, Pope Leo XIII. the church to the level of a minor Basilica. In 1981, the cathedral was declared along with other Roman monuments in Arles by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Building

The building has a Romanesque portal that is one of the most beautiful sculptures in Provence in addition to the earlier created magnificent facade of the Abbey of Saint -Gilles. It was built 1180-1190 and was presented appears on the otherwise almost unadorned western facade. On the south side of the chancel is of about 23 steps to reach the Cloister of the Church. For visitors access to the cloister through the courtyard of the Bishop's Palace and the former convent input takes place. The monastery buildings are arranged around this cloister. The former bishop's palace is located south of the nave and east of the monastery.

Church building

The Romanesque church was built as a three-aisled basilica and had a cross- house two side chapels round in shape. The nave has five bays on twelve pillars. It is 40 meters long, 15 meters wide and 20 meters high. The church tower, which was built in the 13th century and was extended in the 17th century, is located above the crossing. It is 42 meters high. During the construction of the Gothic choir was torn down, the apse and the side chapels, leaving only the transept are. The choir has a nave and two aisles inner choir with apse in the form of a three-eight statements. This results in the ambulatory, on the outer sides of different sizes chapels are grown. The adjacent diagram shows, among other things, the time of origin of the various parts of the building. For example, the yellow building parts shown originated in the 12th century, the pink colored parts of the building arose, however, until the 15th century.

Portal

The portal is not as usual integrated into the wall, but seems like subsequently placed on the wall ( pre- hidden). The main facade is, apart from the projecting portal, almost undecorated and has a double-leaf door which can be divided in the center by a column. In addition there are small portals on both sides.

The center of the representations on the portal forms the tympanum, on the judgment of the world is represented by John ( Christ the Judge ). In his left hand, Jesus holds the book with the seven seals, which right he raises a blessing. He is surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists, a winged lion for St. Mark, an angel for Matthew, an eagle for John, and a winged bull for Luke. In the mildly exciting intrados are the three angels who blow the trumpets of the Last Judgment, surrounded by a host of heavenly beings. The surrounding frieze above the door shows at the tympanum and the twelve apostles on the left Fries a procession of chosen ones on the way to heaven. On the portal inside their inclusion in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is shown. On the right frieze bare damned are surrounded by flames dissipated, to be performed at the end of a vicious by a goal. Below runs a small frieze of scenes from the childhood of Christ told. The frieze is supported by columns and niches with statues of saints and apostles. At the foot of the columns and statues, some scenes from the Old Testament such as Samson and Delilah Samson and the Lion, or are incorporated. The outer sides take the subject of the Last Judgment on the left of the archangels, the right of the devil in hell.

Cloister

A simply designed cloister of the canons was at this point in the 8th century, but is no longer available. The present cloister was built in two stages. While the northern and the eastern corridor 1160-1180 originated in the Romanesque style, were the western and the southern part in the 14th - 15th Century created in the Gothic style, such as preferred him the Popes of Avignon.

The capitals of the north wing sculptures adorn the paschal mystery and the glory of the saints from Arles (for example, the Holy Trophimus between Peter and John ). The capitals of the east wing set stations in life (including the Passion) of Christ represents the capitals of the south wing tell the life of Saint Trophimus. The capitals of the west wing have different motives.

Organ

The organ of St. Trophimus goes back to an instrument that was built in 1872 built by Aristide Cavaillé -Coll with 7 stops on one manual. The organ was remodeled in 1925 by the organ builder Convers and enlarged to 15 stops on two manuals and pedal. The instrument has mechanical tracker action with Barker machines.

• Couplers: II / I (also known as Suboktavkoppel ), II / II ( Superoktavkoppel ); I / P, II / P
• Note