Luçon Cathedral

The Cathedral of Luçon, (French: Cathédrale Notre- Dame-de- l'Assomption ) is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and is at the center of the small town in the department of Vendée Luçon. The church building has been classified as a monument historique since 1906; the cloister followed in 1915.

History

As early as the 7th century a Benedictine monastery to have been founded at this point, probably as a priory of the abbey of Saint- Philibert de Noirmoutier. The first church was destroyed in the second half of the 9th century by the Normans. A successor building was set in 1068 on the orders of William VIII († 1086 ), Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou on fire, whereupon he was excommunicated by Pope Alexander II. Then he saw himself compelled to donate a new church, whose construction was begun, however, only by his son Wilhelm IX. Called ' the troubadour '. Under the Abbot Godfrey ( Geoffrey ), work began that would last until the consecration under Abbot Gerbert in the year 1121 about 30 years in 1091. From this construction is still the north transept get his Romanesque portal.

After the population of the town and its surrounding area was greatly increased by the land reclamation, Pope John XXII. in 1317 Luçon to the rank of a diocese and the abbey church to the rank of a cathedral. Also parts of the diocese of Poitiers were awarded the new diocese.

From the 13th to the 17th century, the church building was renovated several times and reconstruction activities. Despite destruction during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), the cloister was preserved in memory of the former monastery on the south side of the church; however, he was replaced in the 15th century in Gothic style forms. Between 1530 and 1550 the south aisle was added to the chapel extensions.

Some decades later, the church was stormed during the Wars of Religion (1562-1598) several times by the Protestants, who permanently settled for some time there, and destroyed all the images and relics. The last plundering of the furniture was made in 1622 when Cardinal Richelieu was bishop of Luçon.

In 1665 the west tower collapsed and destroyed the west facade and the first bay of the nave. The reconstruction was then taken directly addressed; however, the high spire is a ' beautification measure ' of the 19th century.

In the 18th century chapel additions were made to the north aisle, a main altar with a canopy as well as several side altars were built and installed a choir stalls. During the French Revolution the diocese Luçon was dissolved (1801 ), but reinstalled by Pius VII in 1822. On 16 December 2002 the diocese was Luçon the Archdiocese of Rennes is a suffragan.

Architecture

Ground plan

The three-aisled nave has been laterally widened and stabilized in the 16th and 18th century chapel by extensions. The Dreischiffigkeit of the original building can still be seen in the slightly wider choir area, not apsidal however, but only has a flat choir circuit.

Exterior

North portal

The Romanesque portal facade of the northern transept of the 11th- century Romanesque abbey church has survived the ages. The ground floor consists of three ( Blend ) arcades that form a sort of triumphal arch scheme with higher central arch and a smaller lateral blind arches. The Tympanonfeld the central portal shows Christ surrounded by a winged bull (left ) and a winged lion (right), the symbolic figures of the Evangelists Luke and Mark; found in the tympana of the lateral portals Blend - already badly damaged - sculpture of bishops and saints. The level above is of similar; on sculptural decoration but is waived. The pediment is decorated.

West facade

The collapse of the west tower in 1665, the former Gothic west facade was destroyed. The reconstruction in Baroque- classicist style molding was performed immediately - so the porch in the style of an ancient temple with four side columns and a triangular pediment is designed. In the two floors above the building on a smaller scale repeated - but without the triangular pediment. The second level shows lateral volutes. The patch in the 19th century neo-Gothic spire acts like a foreign body in total. The actual entrance is decorated completely unadorned.

Interior

The approx 34.50 meters long and 22 meters high fünfjochige nave has a classic Gothic elevation ( arcade zone, triforium, clerestory ) and is covered by a ribbed vault. On the lower side aisles chapels were added. The choir area is another 25 meters long and terminates in a flat end chorus with a richly decorated Gothic tracery windows late.

Equipment

After the destruction and looting by the iconoclastic Protestants no longer receive anything from the original equipment. From the 17th century comes a painted with floral and fruit motifs cabinet and a portrait of Richelieu. The apse -like framed and baldachinbekrönte main altar, as well as several side altars and choir stalls date from the 18th century.

All stained glass with their different themes ( Baptism of Christ, saints, etc.) were made ​​in the 19th century in various workshops. The reichbeschnitzte pulpit with their increased figure of Mary is also the work of the 19th century.

The organ in the workshop of Aristide Cavaillé -Coll was made ​​in the years 1852-55 and built above the western portal. The instrument has 54 registers to four manual and pedal works. The play and Registertrakturen are mechanical.

Pictures

Choir stalls - Flight into Egypt ( 18th century)

Lubin Baugin - Descent from the Cross (17th century )

Pulpit (19th century)

Cloister

The former cloister on the south side of the abbey served after the survey of the building to the Cathedral ( 1317 ) as a walkway to the canons of the cathedral chapter. It was rebuilt in the late 14th century in late gothic style forms - so the vault ribs no longer rest on capitals, but go seamlessly into the pillars and half-columns on templates.

In the 16th century the upper floors were added above the walkway on all wings; in this case the statics were amplified by pre- blinded segmental arches which support the outer walls of the rooms. The Gothic pointed arches of the ground floor form a delightful contrast with the overlying rectangular windows in the style of the late Renaissance. Since the cloister - as in the Gothic usual - was figurenlos, he survived the Protestant iconoclasm largely unscathed.