Le Mans Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Julian of Le Mans Cathédrale Saint-Julien du Mans | |
---|---|
Roman Catholic Church | |
Province | Diocese of Le Mans |
Region | Pays de la Loire |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
Status | Active |
Location | |
Location | Le Mans,
Roman, French Gothic |
Groundbreaking | 6th century |
Completed | 15th century |
Le Mans Cathedral (
The cathedral, which combines a Romanesque nave and a High Gothic choir, is notable for its rich collection of stained glass and the spectacular bifurcating flying buttresses at its eastern end.
Previous buildings
Nothing is known about the form of the original church founded here by St Julian, which was co-dedicated (as with many early cathedrals) to The Virgin and to St Peter. Although there is no archaeological evidence for the building phases prior to 1080, the history of the bishopric and its cathedral is extensively detailed in the 9th century
This new building, designed to house the relics of St Julian, incorporated a large choir (consecrated 834) with an apse and an ambulatory housing five altars – possibly one of the very earliest examples of the
Current building
The 134-meter-long (440 ft) cathedral occupies the northeastern corner of the old town (known as Vieux Mans or the Cité Plantagenêt), an area on top of a slight ridge dominated by cobbled streets and half-timbered houses.
The current nave is of a typical
The capitals of the nave piers are richly carved, some with classical
Choir
In 1217, the cathedral chapter obtained authorisation to demolish part of the 4th-century Gallo-Roman city walls, which had blocked expansion to the east (any modifications to city walls in medieval France required the permission of the king). Work on a greatly enlarged eastern end began immediately, and the new choir was consecrated by Bishop Geoffroy de Loudon on April 24, 1254. In cross-section the new choir closely follows the earlier examples at
Seen from the east, the flying buttresses on the outside of the choir present an unusually dense forest of masonry, owing to their unique bifurcating design. Each of the sloping flyers splits in two, presenting a 'Y'-shape in a bird's-eye view, with each arm engaging on a separate upright buttress. Although this design was not taken up elsewhere, it lends an uncharacteristically graceful and delicate feel to the eastern end of the building, especially when seen from the bottom of the hill (at the Place des Huguenots).
Transepts
After the completion of the choir, the next priority was to rebuild the transepts in order to link the new Gothic elements to the Romanesque nave; however, this work was delayed by lack of funds. The south transept, designed by Jean le Maczon, was begun in the 1380s and completed in 1392 with the aid of funds donated by
Stained glass
The nave at Le Mans retains around 20 stained glass windows from Bishop Guillaume's mid-12th century rebuilding, though all but one have been moved from their original locations. All very extensively restored in the 19th century.[6] The great western window, depicting scenes from the Life of St Julian of Le Mans, dates from around 1155. The Ascension window, towards the western end of the south aisle of the nave, has been dated to 1120, making it one of the oldest extant stained glass windows in France.[7]
The renowned depiction of Jesus with female characteristics is to be found among the stained glass mosaics in the cathedral.
Unlike the earlier Romanesque windows, the 13th-century glazing programme in the upper parts of the choir is largely intact. It presents a diverse range of scenes from the Old and New Testaments, the Lives of Saints, and various miracles of the Virgin. These windows are notable for their lack of coherent programme (there is no obvious pattern in the distribution of subjects and some episodes, such as the story of Theophilus or the 'miracle of the Jewish boy of Bourges', are repeated in different windows) and for the variety of artistic styles.[8] The windows in the radiating chapels fared less well, and most of the surviving panels have been reassembled out of context in the axial chapel.[9]
Portals
Opening into the south aisle of the nave is an early gothic portal (c.1150), sheltered by a substantial porch that would have provided shelter for ceremonies and processions entering or leaving the cathedral. Stylistically and in its overall design, this portal is closely related to the Portail Royale at
On the right hand corner of the west facade is a 4.5m high prehistoric menhir, locally known as the Pierre St Julien (St Julian's Stone). Natural weathering of the sandstone has given the menhir's surface an unusual appearance, superficially similar to carved drapery. The stone was moved here in 1778, after the dolmen of which it had been part which was demolished.
The Cathedral and the Plantagenets
The links between Le Mans Cathedral and the Plantagenets were close, with events such as the marriage of Geoffrey and Matilda in 1128, the baptism of Henry II in 1133 and Geoffrey's burial in 1151. These relationships were strengthened by financial contributions from Henry II towards the refurbishment of the cathedral.[11]
Burials
See also
- List of Gothic Cathedrals in Europe
References
- ^ Andre Ledru (ed.), Actus pontificum Cenomannis in urbe degentium (Acts of the bishops of Le Mans), Archives Historiques du Maine, Le Mans, 1901
- ^ Joel Herschman, "The Norman Ambulatory of Le Mans Cathedral and the Chevet of the Cathedral of Coutances", in Gesta, Vol. 20, No. 2, 1981, pp.323-32.
- ^ For the specific influences of Bourges, see Robert Branner, The Cathedral of Bourges and Its Place in Gothic Architecture, 1963, p.184ff
- ^ Jean Bony, French Gothic Architecture of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries, 19xx, p.256ff
- ^ A. Mussat, La Cathedrale du Mans, Paris, 1981
- ^ Louis Grodecki, Les Vitraux de la cathédrale du Mans, Congress Archéologique de France, Vol.119, 1961, pp.59–99
- ^ See Caroline Brissac's article in A. Mussat (ed.), La Cathédrale du Mans, Paris, 1981
- ^ For images of all the triforium/clerestory windows see; http://www.medievalart.org.uk/LeMans/LeMans_default.htm
- ^ The only monograph on the windows is Emile Hucher's physically unwieldy and difficult to find Calques des vitraux de la cathédrale du Mans, Le Mans, 1855–62
- ^ Thomas Polk, The South Portal of the Cathedral at Le Mans: Its Place in the Development of Early Gothic Portal Composition, Gesta, 24:1 (1985), pp.47–60
- ^ Angheben, MArcello (2022). "Le portail royal de la cathédrale du Mans et les ambitions des Plantagenêts autour de 1150". Les Plantagenêts et le Maine. pp. 196–224.