What remains of medieval Paris?

Medieval architecture is hardly visible in Paris in the form of complete buildings. Most of what remains are fragments of buildings, which have known destruction, additions and conversions: a night of styles is very characteristic of Paris. In the tower of Jean Sans Peur – “Jean the Fearless” – from the early 15th century, an original attempt was made to catalogue the remains.

Remains of medieval Paris that exist today

First, the walls. That of Philippe-Auguste, of which a large remnant can still be seen in the Saint-Paul district, and that of Charles V, some of whose remains were excavated under the Louvre, where they can be seen. Of the wall that surrounded the royal palace on the Île de la Cité, the turrets facing the Quai de l'Orloz remain.

Second, palaces and fortresses.Louvre The Biennale, Château de Vincennes, and the Royal Palace on the Ile de la Cité – parts of which remain.

Third, churches. There are few that have not been vandalized. Sainte-Chapelle, mostly, survived by a miracle. We mainly find sections of churches whose construction began in the Middle Ages and was completed in the Renaissance. Some churches began to be built in the Romanesque style, and the nave is Gothic. But the common mix is ​​a combination of late Gothic with early Renaissance. Since it was customary to start building from the altar wing onwards, this part is the earliest. In many of the churches, the style changes every few meters in length, width and height – and also in design and furniture. Sometimes, the informed tour is fascinating.

In many cases, as construction dragged on, or as church owners grew tired of the Gothic style and wanted to replace it with a more fashionable one, horrific distortions occurred. Even in the most quintessential Gothic gems, such as Notre-Dame. Similar abuse was experienced by other awe-inspiring churches, including Saint-Germain-l'Auxerre.

Fourth, the palaces of the nobles, the first hotels built in the heart of the Marais, and surviving: Clisson (circa 1440), Hérouët and especially the Hôtel de Sans in the southern Marais, one of the few medieval houses remaining intact. The other is a Cluny from the early 16th century, in the Latin Quarter.

Fifth, residential buildings. The house at 3 Rue Volta in the 3rd arrondissement is perhaps the oldest in Paris, and the one that most resembles the style of construction of the early 15th century – entirely wooden. So is the house built by Nicolas Flamel at 51 Rue Montmorency, and two wooden houses on Rue François Miron.

An exceptional gem is the library of the Conservatoire des Erz-et-Matilles, originally a monks' dining room. And there are others, more hidden. Like, for example, in a certain building, which has undergone a complete conversion, the parking lot is actually pure Gothic!

The Secret Crypt on Rue Rivoli

About two hundred meters west of Chatelale, on Rue Rivoli, is the C&A department store, a Dutch company, a store that sells everything from clothing to shoes. Beneath the store lies a listed historical monument, although not protected – so the owners are not required to allow the public to visit it, which is a shame. Somehow I found out about it, was intrigued, and managed to get a visit.

This is a guardroom of a house from the 12th century, perhaps the 11th (the archives were burned). It was the home of wealthy merchants, who kept a private guard, very essential in the height of the Middle Ages. The crypt-like hall is very high, and traces of windows are visible in its upper part. Evidence that eight hundred years ago there was a level Paris Much lower: in those days this was the ground floor, because a guard is not parked in the basement but at street level, near the entrance to the house, ready for action.

Today, the hall serves as a break room for employees. I suggested to the store manager at the time that we set up a café there for customers – such an ancient site, at least a hundred years older than Sainte-Chapelle, might attract a curious crowd. She wasn’t keen on the idea, but would consider requests to visit, if and when they came.

How to get there?

Address: 126 Rue de Rivoli

Metro: Louvre-Rivoli (line number 1)

Jean's Tower Made of Fearless

22 Rue Etienne Marcel, south of the Passage Grand Cerf, remains of a medieval castle, the tower of Jean Sans-Peur, Jean the Fearless, which is almost unnoticed, as it is adjacent to residential buildings. Its importance lies in the rarity of the remains from its time. It was originally the Hôtel d'Artois, built in 1270 and leaning against the ramparts of Philippe-Auguste. In 1384 it became the Parisian residence of the Dukes of Burgundy.

Duke Jean, who lived in the house, invited The murder of our cousin Louis d'Orléans, the king's brother, which caused a bloody war of revenge between the Burgundians and their rivals, and temporarily changed the course of French history: Jean took power in Paris in 1409, enlarged the palace, and to protect himself from expected revenge, built the war tower inside. He was expelled a few years later, executed, and with the death of his grandson Charles "the Bold", Duke of Burgundy, the duchy was annexed to the crown. France.

In 1543 the estate was parcelled out, and part of the land was broken into and the Rue Française opened. In 1548 monks built a performance hall there, which in 1629 became the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, whose troupe competed with that of MolièreThe second part was sold to a certain Diego Mendoza, and was called Hotel Mendoza. It was later used cabaret, a charity warehouse, and the locksmith's business, Ricard, which now has a museum named after him in the Marais. The burglary of Ré Etienne Marcel in the 19th century caused the house to be demolished, except for the tower, which was declared a protected historical monument in 1884, and was reinforced because it was about to fall. It was restored in 1991. In 1999, after 730 years, it was opened to the public.

Jeanne's Tower aims to become the first center for medieval tourism in Paris. The entrance hall already provides a wealth of information about the remains of buildings in Paris, divided by type. The information, also available at the reception in English, makes it possible to conduct a period-themed visit to Paris. The five floors of the tower are dedicated to the Middle Ages and daily life in the 15th century. A spiral staircase, like the one in Charles V's Louvre, which no longer exists, leads up. The stairwell is decorated with floral motifs, a masterpiece that has been preserved for 5 years. The top floor was the bedroom of Jeanne the Murderer.

Erez-et-Matiya Conservatory

The ancient complex of the Conservatory, originally the Abbey of Saint-Martin-des-Champs, encompasses the Erez-et-Mathieu Museum, two churches that have lost their sanctity, and buildings that are still used for studies. The entrance is Marie-Saint-Martin, not far from the Porte Saint-Martin, opposite a large public garden. Next to the garden, an impressive building, formerly the Théâtre de la Ghette.

The existence of the monastery is known from the 8th century. It was rebuilt in the 11th century, in a mixed style: Romanesque and Gothic. All that remains of it is the 12th-century chapel, one of the first swallows of the Gothic style, and it is thin and refined. At the corner of Saint-Martin, a tower still stands, remaining from the fortifications. Paris In the 12th century. The pearl of the complex is the library – in the distant past, the monks' dining room. A long, narrow space, which looks like a Gothic church in terms of the ceiling, columns and capitals. One wall is covered in stained glass. Today it is a technical library, and a sign warns against pickpockets. It contains no information about the building in which it is located, which was built in the 13th century by Pierre de Montreuil, who also built Sainte-Chapelle. Not to be missed.

The Parisian Pictures Book

The article you just read is a chapter from the book “Parisian Pictures” written by Avital Inbar and available as an electronic copy at the Mendeley bookstore. Through this book, you will become acquainted with the greats of French literature whom Avital Inbar translated and the great chanson singers such as Yves Montaigne and the poet/singer Bressanone whom the author knew personally. But that’s not all, you can also read about the love-hate relationship between France and Israel and enjoy two translations of “Cyrano de Bergerac”, one done by the author’s father and the other done by Dori France some 80 years later. In short, a celebration of culture French And a must-read for every Francophile.

Want to read more about medieval Paris?

You are welcome to enter the articleHistory of Paris and read the parts dealing with the early and late Middle Ages. I would also recommend Paris itinerary following Victor Hugo Because the above-mentioned person was very interested in the Middle Ages and saved several buildings from the period from destruction.