Saint-Nicholas-des-Champs, Paris

The Catholic parish church Saint -Nicolas des Champs was built in the 15th century in the late Gothic style. It is located on the Rue Saint -Martin No. 254 in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. The nearest metro stations are Reaumur Sebastopol and Arts et Métiers of lines 3, 4 and 11, 1887, the church was incorporated as a monument historique in the list of French monuments.

History

Already towards the end of the 11th century, built the abbey of Saint -Martin -des- Champs one to St.. Nicholas chapel dedicated to the artisans and farmers who had settled in the area. In a bull of Pope Calixtus II to 1119, the chapel of Saint-Nicolas is mentioned, which followed the end of the 12./Anfang of the 13th century, a larger church of which nothing has been preserved. 1184 Saint- Nicolas-des -Champs was a parish church. The present church was built in 1420-1480 and enlarged in the 16th and early 17th century. 1615 these works were completed. 1668 increased to the tower one floor. In the middle of the 18th century, designed according to contemporary taste the pillars of the choir to fluted Doric columns around and replaced the old stained glass windows by white discs.

During the French Revolution, the church was closed and converted to the Temple of Hymen and loyalty. In 1802 it was re-consecrated for worship.

Architecture

Exterior

About the south aisle, set back behind the right gable, rises the bell tower, whose lower floors date from the 15th century. He is broken on all three floors and on all four sides by pointed arches, coupled sound arcades. On its west side it a slender hexagonal stair turret is mounted in front. The gable of the western façade is pierced by a rosette. Including a large pointed arch windows with tracery opens flamboyant.

West portal

The west portal is covered over by an occupied with crab and mythical creatures ogee arch and framed by Archivolts. On the inner arc runs angels are depicted sitting under elaborate canopies and bear the sufferings tools. The outer bow legs are decorated with vine leaves and grapes. The sculptures on either side of the portal were carried out in 1843 by Louis Desprez and replaced the original, during the revolution, destroying statues. They represent the Apostles Peter and Paul, St. Cecilia, the patron saint of church music, the hl. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, St. Nicholas and John the Baptist.

South portal

The south porch was built in 1580 according to plans by Philibert Delorme. It is divided by four fluted pilasters with ornate Corinthian capitals. In between are medallions of black marble, which give garlands. It runs a frieze of arabesques, egg and dart and other ornamental forms. It is crowned by a triangular pediment with two angels playing instruments. The spandrels of the entrance are decorated with reliefs of angels.

Interior

The interior is divided into five aisles and 13 yokes. The first seven bays of the nave and the inner south aisle date from the Gothic construction. They differ in their ogival arcades of the four eastern Jochen, have the round arches and how the two northern aisles and the outer south aisle were added in the 16th century. The last two yokes and the choir with ambulatory and chapels originated 1613-1615. The two-storey nave is covered by a ribbed vault and opens into the round closed choir, which was remodeled in the 18th century. A transept there is not.

Equipment

  • The monumental marble altar was created in 1629 by the sculptor Jacques Sarazin ( 1592-1670 ). The paintings Les Apôtres au tombeau de la Vierge ( The Apostles at the grave of Mary ) and L' Assomption de la Vierge ( Assumption of Mary ) were carried out by Simon Vouet ( 1590-1649 ).

The church is equipped with numerous paintings such as

  • L'Ascension ( Ascension), by Claude Vignon ( 1593-1670 ), in the right aisle
  • Sainte Geneviève gardant ses mouton ( The hl. Genoveva tends sheep ), by Étienne Jeaurat ( 1699-1789 ), altarpiece in the chapel Genoveva
  • Le Baptême du Christ ( Baptism of Christ ), by Gaudenzio Ferrari ( 1484-1546 ), in which Nicholas chapel of the ambulatory
  • La circoncision ( circumcision), by Louis Finson ( 1580-1617 ), in the relics chapel of the ambulatory
  • La Vierge de la famille de Vic ( Vic The Virgin of the family), by Frans Pourbus the Younger ( 1569-1622 ), in which Anne Chapel
  • L' Assomption ( Assumption of Mary ), L' Annunciation (the Annunciation ), Le Christ à sa mère ressuscité apparaissant, by Georges Lallemant (around 1575-1636 ), ceiling painting of Anne Chapel ( The risen Christ appears to his mother )
  • La circoncision ( circumcision), by Giovanni Battista Trotti ( 1555-1619 ), in the Redeemer Chapel
  • La Vierge de la Pitié ( Pietà ), by Georges Lallemant, in the north aisle
  • L' Adoration des Bergers ( Adoration of the Shepherds ), by Noël -Nicolas Coypel ( 1690-1734 ), in the Lady Chapel

Organ

The organ is a work of the organ builder François -Henri Clicquot and dates from 1777. 1930 it was renewed by Victor Gonzales. It is crowned by a statue of St.. Nicholas, surrounded the angels playing musical instruments. 1905, the organ case, 1927, the instrumental part was added to the list of Monuments historiques. The instrument has 58 registers on five manuals and pedal. The play and Registertrakturen are mechanical.

  • Couplers: I / II, III / II, IV / II, I / P, II / P III / P

Burials

In the church, famous people are buried as Guillaume Budé, Théophile de Viau, Pierre Gassendi, Madeleine de Scudéry.

Leadlight Abat-son Crocket Baldachin Genevieve Philibert de l'Orme Bay (architecture) Arcade (architecture)
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