About the Medieval Churches of Paris Walk in Paris
The medieval churches of Paris are rare survivors of a city that has long since disappeared beneath the modern metropolis. This 3.5-hour walking seminar, led by a medievalist or art historian, traces a course through over five centuries of medieval art and architecture, and takes us to a number of the cities finest medieval churches. Each of these churches served a different segment of the population and developed special architectural features which make them the perfect vehicle for an in-depth discussion of the period. This is the perfect walk for the intellectually curious traveler who has already visited the famed Gothic monuments on the Ile-de-la-Cité and is yearning for more.
Our walk begins at the with the oldest church of the city, the former monastery church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with its mix of Romanesque and early Gothic styles. It ends with the most recent medieval Church, the superb Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, noted for the spectacular filigree and twisting stairs of the
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The medieval churches of Paris are rare survivors of a city that has long since disappeared beneath the modern metropolis. This 3.5-hour walking seminar, led by a medievalist or art historian, traces a course through over five centuries of medieval art and architecture, and takes us to a number of the cities finest medieval churches. Each of these churches served a different segment of the population and developed special architectural features which make them the perfect vehicle for an in-depth discussion of the period. This is the perfect walk for the intellectually curious traveler who has already visited the famed Gothic monuments on the Ile-de-la-Cité and is yearning for more.
Our walk begins at the with the oldest church of the city, the former monastery church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with its mix of Romanesque and early Gothic styles. It ends with the most recent medieval Church, the superb Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, noted for the spectacular filigree and twisting stairs of the only surviving rood screen in Paris, and whose architecture takes us from Gothic through to the seventeenth century. In a U-shaped circuit from the Left Bank to the Right Bank and back, you will also explore Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois (the parish church of the Louvre), and Saint-Severin, the city’s most splendid example of Flamboyant Gothic, famous for its unusual twisted pillar. Along the way we will also mention some medieval churches that have disappeared, such as Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie and Saint-Geneviève, of which only the towers remain. And, of course, you will see many other famous sights along our route.
This walk will bring to life the evolution of medieval architecture from the Romanesque, through the four types of Gothic. Our last stop will also illustrate the special French version of Renaissance architecture and an unusual type of French architecture of the seventeenth century. And since all the medieval churches have more recent additions, you will witness their continuous modernization over the centuries. Inside the churches, you will also discover magnificient artistic treasures, stained glass, sculpture and panel paintings, to name but a few, dating from the Middle Ages to the modern day.
Each church had its own particular role, be it as part of a monastery, as the parish of the king, as a stop on the pilgrim's route or as a place of worship for the students of the university. Through the churches, with their different historical associations, you will be plunged back into the vivid history of Paris, from the the Viking invasions to the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution. This walk is for the true lover of the Paris that used to be.
