Église Saint-Paul
Encyclopedia
The Église Saint-Paul is a church in Lyon
, France
. It is a Romanesque
and Gothic
building located in the Vieux Lyon
, in the Saint-Paul
quarter, in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon
. The tower-lantern was classified as monument historique
in 1920, and the whole church was classified in 1996. It was completely restored in 2002. The church is about 45 m long and 16.5 m high under the arch.
, the church was damaged in 732, then restored in the early 9th century by archbishop
Leidrade. In the 10th century, it became a necropolis
with three cemeteries. Archbishop Hugh of Die
requested its reconstruction, which was accomplished during the 11th and 12th centuries (the bell tower
in 1440).
The church was damaged during the siege of the city by the Baron of Adrets, then during the revolution in 1793, after which it was transformed into a saltpetre
store and became a parish church
in 1801. Many changes were made to the church during the 19th century, including the removal of saltpetre soil and the paving, and numerous additions: the lantern of the top of the octagonal tower in 1835, the Gothic portal in 1877, paintings by Paul Borel added to the choir in 1899, the eleven bells of the bell tower...
is composed of four bay
s with four carved capitals pillars. The current 24-meter stone spire
which tops the tower disappeared in 1818, was replaced by another one in wood in 1875, and was finally rebuilt in 1982. A gallery in quatrefoil
s, a rose window
and shield
s compose 19th century western facade.
The smallest bell, called Eleanor and was made in 1626. The lower bell weighs over four tons was cast in Lyon by Gédéon Morel and is the most decorated one in the world.
There are 16 small chapels along the aisles of the church. The first one of them appeared after 1470. The most notorious is that of the baptismal fronts, from the 16th century, by Jean Palmier.
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is a Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
and Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
building located in the Vieux Lyon
Vieux Lyon
The Vieux Lyon is the largest Renaissance district of Lyon in the 5th arrondissement.This zone is served by the metro line In 1954, Vieux-Lyon, the city's oldest district, became the first site in France to be protected under the Malraux law to protect France's cultural sites...
, in the Saint-Paul
Saint-Paul (Lyon)
Saint-Paul is a quarter located in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon, France. It was named after the parish church. Located in the perimeter saved registered to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the three parishes of the Vieux Lyon, the historic center of the city...
quarter, in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon
5th arrondissement of Lyon
The 5th arrondissement of Lyon is one of the nine arrondissements of the City of Lyon.- History :The 5th arrondissement was created on 24 March 1852 . It is the historic center of Lyon. It is at Fourvière that Munatius Plancus founded the Roman colony of Lugdunum in 43 BC...
. The tower-lantern was classified as monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
in 1920, and the whole church was classified in 1996. It was completely restored in 2002. The church is about 45 m long and 16.5 m high under the arch.
History
Built around 549 by the Lyon bishop Saint SacerdosSacerdos of Lyon
Saint Sacerdos of Lyon is a French saint whose Feast Day is September 12. He was Archbishop of Lyon, France from 544 to September 12, 551. He was the son of St. Rusticus, Archbishop of Lyon, and wife....
, the church was damaged in 732, then restored in the early 9th century by archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Leidrade. In the 10th century, it became a necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
with three cemeteries. Archbishop Hugh of Die
Hugh of Die
Hugh of Die was a French papal legate, and Archbishop of Lyon from 1081 to 1106. He was a nephew of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy.He became bishop of Die, Drôme, in 1074. He was a strong supporter of the Gregorian reform. He was excommunicated at the 1087 Council of Benevento, for his criticisms of...
requested its reconstruction, which was accomplished during the 11th and 12th centuries (the bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
in 1440).
The church was damaged during the siege of the city by the Baron of Adrets, then during the revolution in 1793, after which it was transformed into a saltpetre
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−.It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre , from medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt...
store and became a parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in 1801. Many changes were made to the church during the 19th century, including the removal of saltpetre soil and the paving, and numerous additions: the lantern of the top of the octagonal tower in 1835, the Gothic portal in 1877, paintings by Paul Borel added to the choir in 1899, the eleven bells of the bell tower...
Architecture
The Gothic style appeared in the bell tower-porch and in the side chapels. The naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
is composed of four bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
s with four carved capitals pillars. The current 24-meter stone spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
which tops the tower disappeared in 1818, was replaced by another one in wood in 1875, and was finally rebuilt in 1982. A gallery in quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
s, a rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
and shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
s compose 19th century western facade.
The smallest bell, called Eleanor and was made in 1626. The lower bell weighs over four tons was cast in Lyon by Gédéon Morel and is the most decorated one in the world.
There are 16 small chapels along the aisles of the church. The first one of them appeared after 1470. The most notorious is that of the baptismal fronts, from the 16th century, by Jean Palmier.