Population of Rouen. Rouen: the real Middle Ages

24.11.2019

On a rainy August day, we crossed the German border and found ourselves in France. Last year we traveled to French region, and this year we rushed towards Atlantic coast to harsh regions and Brittany.

We chose Rouen as the first city to visit in Normandy. This city is world famous for its stunning Rouen Cathedral and events associated with Joan of Arc.

We started our walk around Rouen from the Abbey of Saint-Ouen, a beautiful Gothic cathedral that now houses the Rouen City Hall.

You can walk around the cathedral and stroll through the city hall gardens with sculptures and fountains.

There are ancient half-timbered houses of different colors everywhere (by the way, France has its own name for half-timbered houses - collombage) - real paradise for lovers of this architectural style, i.e. for me too

Quite quickly we reached the main attraction of Rouen - the Rouen cathedral.

Unfortunately, part of the cathedral was in the woods, but we still appreciated the beauty and splendor of the Rouen Cathedral. However, the proximity of a medieval cathedral with modern boutiques on the same square is a little strange for me..

Rouen Cathedral, with its 151 m high cast iron spire, ranks 4th on the list of tallest churches in the world and first in France.

Soon we went to Old Market Square, where on May 30, 1431, the national heroine of France, Joan of Arc, was executed. Here, in honor of the Virgin of Orleans, the Cathedral of Saint Joan of Arc was built, which also includes an indoor market. The cathedral itself resembles the bonfire on which Joan of Arc was burned, and at the site of the burning there is a high cross.

The entire square is surrounded by beautiful half-timbered houses.

The weather cleared up completely, and we continued our walk through the streets of Rouen, which are striking in their antiquity and bright colors.

We especially liked the use of slate on the facades and roofs - we later realized that slate is generally very popular in Normandy.

Rouen, a beautiful ancient city, with tall half-timbered houses and cathedrals in the flamboyant Gothic style. Unlike Le Havre, which was practically razed to the ground and rebuilt after World War II, Rouen was not so badly damaged by bombing and retained its appearance as a medieval city interspersed with earlier eras.

The capital of Normandy stands on the Seine, between Paris and Le Havre (to Le Havre - 86 km, to Paris - 132 km). From Paris to Rouen it is easy to get by train. Trains to Rouen depart from Paris Saint-Lazare Station, the journey time is just over an hour.

Old city Rouen is located on the right bank of the Seine, where it was once founded by the Celts and equipped by Roman legionaries. Over time, the Roman settlement of Rotomagus became main city Norman principality - the Normans repeatedly sailed their ships up the Seine to Rotomagus: first they plundered and burned the city, then they settled in it as masters and made it their capital.

Rouen grew, moved the fortress walls further and further, and grew with churches, monasteries, and castles.

So: half-timbered and flaming gothic. Half-timbered - because the banks of the Seine were covered with forest, and there was no shortage of wood, but only rich city dwellers could build stone buildings. The streets of the city are narrow, half-timbered houses are up to five or six floors, the areas are usually small. There are many flowers, both in the squares and under the windows.

Hotels in Rouen

We started our walk from the Seine embankment, from the theater, in front of which there is a monument to the playwright Pierre Corneille, a native of Rouen, the founder of French tragedy. He lived in Rouen for 56 years, and there is a Corneille Museum in the city.

The main axis of old Rouen stretches parallel to the Seine: from the Church of Saint-Maclou - to the Old Market Square with the Church of Saint Joan of Arc (it was burned in this square). Sights of Rouen on the map

On this axis, closer to Saint-Macl, is the cathedral, known from numerous paintings by Claude Monet. The artist painted it many times, capturing and capturing the nuances of light transitions and the transformation of the cathedral depending on the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. Over the course of two years, a large series of paintings by Monet dedicated to the Rouen Cathedral was completed.

Directly opposite the cathedral is information Center, which contains maps and booklets in Russian. There are two detour routes shown on the map. historical center Rouen: brown and purple. It is advisable to follow these routes - they pass through the most wonderful, indicative streets of Rouen.

The information center is located on the ground floor of the former Bureau of Finance building, a historic 16th-century building richly decorated with stone carvings. Claude Monet painted the cathedral from the second floor of this building.

On summer evenings, a spectacular light show takes place on the cathedral square, with two hour-long free sessions of the Cathedrale de Lumiere (Cathedral of Light) - various images are projected onto the façade of the cathedral.

The facade of Rouen Cathedral is unique - it’s not for nothing that it attracted the attention of Claude Monet. Over the centuries, the façade has been remodeled many times. Its left tower of Saint-Romain (12th century) is crowned with a spire, its right tower of Beure (15th century) ends with a terrace. Saint-Romain is the patron saint of Rouen, so his name has firmly and repeatedly entered the toponymy of Rouen.

The Bör Tower is translated as “Butter Tower”; it was built with the money of the townspeople, who were allowed to eat butter during Lent - for this indulgence they gave money for the construction of the tower. In addition, the tower of Bur is built from yellowish stone brought from Wales. The cathedral itself is white stone.

There are three portals cut into the façade: Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Romain and Saint-Etienne. Raised above the middle cross bell tower with a cast iron spire.

If you exit the cathedral from the right side portal, then in the depths of the street, on Vysokaya Square Old tower, you can see a building with an unusual pedestal with a gazebo tower. It was built in 1524. The annual religious procession with the relics of St. Romanus ended on this pedestal.

Rue Saint-Romain leads from the cathedral to the church of Saint-Maclou, or rather a street with half-timbered facades. Nestled among the half-timbered buildings is a Viennese café. There are shops selling ceramics - Rouen is famous for its ceramics, the city even has a Ceramics Museum.

The Church of Saint-Maclou evokes a feeling of lightness, grace, and flight. A striking example of flaming Gothic.

The church is surrounded by half-timbered houses.

The narrow street Damiet goes to the left, along which you can walk to the Abbey of Saint-Ouen.

On the left side of the facade there is a fountain with drinking water. And here are the peeing boys, but they don’t look as radiant as their counterpart in Brussels.

If you walk from the fountain along the Church of Saint-Maclou along rue Martainville, then on the left side you will find an arch leading to the Atrium of Saint-Maclou. Having passed under the arch, you find yourself in a narrow courtyard, where you simply feel the breath of centuries, such a feeling of antiquity and frozen time.

The passage under the second arch leads out into an enclosed courtyard - a former cemetery, surrounded by wooden galleries. This isolated cemetery at the church - the atrium of Saint-Maclou - arose during the plague epidemic. Skulls and skeletons are carved on the wooden walls, and funerary monuments are built in here and there. The place is quiet and eerie. Although now there is a regional school of fine arts there, and on summer evenings performances are held in this enclosed courtyard.

On the other side of the Rouen Cathedral, from its facade, the pedestrian street of the Great Clock begins, idle, lively, filled with walking people. The large Clock is mounted on an arch with a metal roof with a ridge. Under the arch there are bas-reliefs.

Behind the arch, on the left side, there is a bas-relief fountain.

On the street they sell local “macaroni” - colorful macaroons.

And - again a line of half-timbered houses, and we come out onto the Old Market Square. However, the market still exists today: a civilized indoor market: vegetables, fruits, cheeses.

We pass the market and find ourselves near a wonderful building: a rugged cube with stained glass windows under a strange roof: above the cube it soars upward in two tongues, and from the cube it slides down with the long narrow bottom of an inverted ship. This building was built on the site of the Saint-Vincens church demolished in 1944 and is called the Church of Saint Joan of Arc.

To the right of the church are the remains of the foundation of the destroyed church.

On the other side, behind a low wooden fence, is the site of the burning of Joan of Arc.

The church houses the restored stained glass windows of the Church of Saint-Vincens.

If you walk from the Church of Joan of Arc towards the Seine along the Old Palace Street (rue du Vieux Palais) and turn left at the first intersection, you will find yourself on Martin Luther King Square, near the Reformed Church of Saint-Eloi. Luther King Square connects with the lovely little Place de la Pucelle.

At the junction of the squares there is a remarkable building - the Burgterulda Hotel. The Burgteruld mansion was built in the early 16th century for the influential Le Roux family. Built from yellow stone, decorated with bas-reliefs and a corner turret.

After passing through Place Pussels, you can go to the Saint-André Tower - this is all that remains of the Saint-André Church after the Allied bombing. And from the tower along Jeanne d'Arc Street, go up to the Palace of Justice, or the Parliament of Normandy.

This is truly a palace. The same flaming Gothic style, a stone lace shawl draped over the building.

Previously this place belonged Jewish community. After the expulsion of the Jews from Rouen, this land was no man's land for some time, then the herbal market was located here. At the end of the 15th century, it was decided to build a Norman feudal court, and a building arose that was not inferior in beauty and sophistication of decoration to many palaces.

From the previous owners of this place the so-called "The Wonderful House", found in the east wing of Parliament in 1076. Presumably this is a fragment of an ancient Hebrew university. You can get there only by appointment.

Along the Street of the Jews (rue aux Juifs) you need to go to the wide street of Carmes (rue de Carmes), turn left and at the second intersection turn right. On the small square of Carmes, among the trees, there is a monument to Flaubert. And on the neighboring Place Saint-Armand (rather, not a square, but a triangular public garden) there is a monument to Claude Monet.

From here it is very close to the Abbey of Saint-Ouen (go left along the Rue de la République). The same flaming Gothic style, three dented portals. The Church of Saint-Ouen is famous for its stained glass windows, but we didn’t get inside, the church was closed.

To the left of the church there is a long gallery, behind it is a green square and the long yellow city hall building. In front of the city hall is an equestrian statue of Napoleon.

Opposite Napoleon, Rue Jean Lecanue begins, following which we find ourselves on Place Verdel, in the local “quarter of museums”. The most significant of them is the Museum of Fine Arts. Next to it is the Sec de Tournai Museum of Blacksmithing and the Museum of Ceramics. The Saint-Godard Church is adjacent to the Museum of Fine Arts. A little bit north of the Museum ceramics is the tower of Joan of Arc, in which she was located for some time. The donjon tower is the little that remains of the castle of King Philip on August 2nd.

From the Tower of Joan of Arc it is very close to railway station Rouen.

There is also a natural attraction in Rouen - St. Catherine's Hill. It is located on the eastern outskirts of the city, half an hour's walk from the city center. The hill itself is considered a natural monument; there are rare species animals and plants, including Rouen violet, Italian crickets, Soloni sheep. Opens from the top panoramic view to Rouen and the Seine with bridges.

The required time for a full inspection of Rouen is two days.

What to see in Rouen in one day: first of all, the masterpieces of flaming Gothic Rouen Cathedral, the Church of Saint-Maclou (and its Atrium), the Abbey of Saint-Ouen and the Palace of Justice. In addition to them - the Church of Joan of Arc and the Burgteruld Hotel. Well, and along the way – the streets and squares connecting them, lined with half-timbered houses. On the second day, leave the museums and St. Catherine's Hill.

Normandy - Contents

In addition to the sights of Rouen itself and its museums, you can travel a little around the surrounding area, in Normandy, admiring ancient castles, picturesque villages and beautiful ports. Thanks to the excellent transport links, many of the places listed below can be reached by direct train in 20 - 50 minutes.

Robert the Devil's Castle

Château de Robert-le-Diable - 15 km southwest, 26 min by car (25 km)

The reconstructed ruins of Robert the Devil's Castle (Château de Robert-le-Diable) can be seen in the immediate vicinity of Rouen, arriving here by bus 31. The castle was built under the first Norman dukes. The name comes from the nickname of Duke Robert II the Magnificent (1010 - 1035), who was accused of being particularly cruel in connection with evil spirits. The castle was destroyed during the Hundred Years' War in the 15th century by the inhabitants of Rouen themselves. Now the castle houses a museum dedicated to the Viking conquest of Normandy.

Abbey Road

In the vicinity of Rouen, in the Seine Valley, you can see three ancient monasteries: the Romanesque abbey of St. Georges (Abbaye Saint Georges de Boscherville - 12 km from Rouen), Saint-Wandrille Abbey (Abbaye de St-Wandrille de Fontenelle - 20 km further along the Seine) and the Benedictine Abbey of Jumièges (another 12 km).

The village of Rie and Madame Bovary

Ry - 20 km east, 29 min by car

The picturesque village of Ry is a cult place for admirers of Gustave Flaubert, the author of the famous novel Madame Bovary, the prototype of which was a resident of Ry. And the village itself is believed to have become the prototype for Yonville, described in the novel. You can visit a museum dedicated to the novel.

Nature reserve

Parc Naturel Régional des Boucles de la Seine Normande, 47 km northwest by car (46 min)

Natural regional park Normandy is located between Rouen and Le Havre. This is a 4500 hectare reserve with traditional Norman nature.

There are a number of bus routes and one railway station, Yvetot, through which the Le Havre - Yvetot - Rouen train line passes.

Giverny and Claude Monet

Giverny - 70 km southeast, 1 hour by car, 40 minutes by train in the direction of Paris-St-Lazare (11.90 €) to Vernon (Eure) station

IN Giverny The studio of the world famous impressionist artist Claude Monet is located. He noticed this picturesque place from the window of a passing train and soon moved here. At first he rented housing in the surrounding area, but in 1890 he saved enough money to buy his own house. Around it he laid out a magnificent garden, which he depicted on many of his canvases, some of which became the most famous works artist, including a pond with lilies. Following Monet, a whole galaxy of American impressionists settled in Giverny, many of whom lived and met at the Hôtel Baudy. Now Monet's studio has been turned into a museum. You can also see the Impressionist Museum in Giverny.

Dieppe

Dieppe - 65 km north, 55 min by car, 47 min by train (12.20 €, ex. Dieppe)

Dieppe is a picturesque seaside resort. It originally appeared in 1030 as a fishing village, but already in the Hundred Years' War it played an important strategic role. In the 16th century Dieppe was located best school cartography in France. Dieppe was the site of an unsuccessful Allied landing during World War II. The city has preserved the picturesque Château de Dieppe, which has now been converted into a museum dedicated to navigation, which also includes a collection of ivory items from the 17th and 18th centuries and a number of lace exhibits.

Les Andelys

Les Andelys - 40 km southeast, 51 min by car

Les Andelys - perfect place for a half-day excursion from Rouen. This picturesque city with an impressive castle located 35 km southeast of Rouen. In 1198, by order of King Richard the Lionheart, the famous castle of Chateau-Gaillard was built on the high bank of the Seine, which was badly damaged during the Hundred Years' War. To this day, only picturesque ruins have survived from the castle. In addition to the castle, you can see the magnificent Gothic cathedral and the 13th-century Saint-Sauveux church, the remains of the fortress wall of Grande Andely and the House-Museum of the artist Nicolas Poussin.

Honfleur

Honfleur - 90 km, approx. 2 hours by train with 1 change at Liseux / Evreux / Bernay (train towards Caen, then to Trouville-Deauville station to the final station, 24.60 € - 29.00 €)

Small picturesque port Honfleur dates back to the 17th century. This is one of the most popular tourist places in Normandy. The town has preserved many ancient buildings and several interesting museums and churches.

Le Havre

Le Havre - 92 km west, 1:08 by car, direct train 0:56 - 1:23 (16.00 €)

Le Havre- it's big seaport at the mouth of the Seine River, which for many centuries served as the Parisian port, where further goods were transported on barges and floated down the river. The city suffered greatly from bombing during World War II, during the famous Normandy Landing. The reconstruction of the city was led by the architect August Perret, using reinforced concrete structures. As a result, Le Havre was added to the list of monuments world heritage UNESCO. The main architectural landmark of the city can be considered the Church of Saint-Joseph (Église Saint-Joseph), the tower of which is decorated with stained glass windows.

Amiens

Amiens - 120 km to the northeast, 1:20 by car, 1:15 by direct train (21.40 €)

Amiens- the main city in Picardy. This ancient city, due to its strategic location, more than once became the center of battles between different countries, suffering first from attacks by the Normans, then from the Spaniards, then during the Napoleonic Wars, as well as during two world wars. Despite much destruction, the 17th-century town hall, the 15th-century Saint-Germain church and the Louis XVI theater have recently been restored in the center of Amiens. But the main attraction of the city is the magnificent Amiens Cathedral, the most capacious Gothic temple in France. This purest example of the Gothic style has been listed as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO.

Bayeux

Bayeux - 157 km to the west, 1:41 by car, 2:14 by train with 1 change in Caen, then by train to e.g. Cherbourg to Bayeux (31.00 €).

Bayeux is a picturesque city with a population of 15 thousand inhabitants, whose long-standing attraction is the 11th century cathedral. The city became famous thanks to the famous “Bayeux carpet” (Tapisserie de Bayeux) - an embroidered canvas 70.3 m long and 50 cm high depicting the most important scenes (58 in total) from the history of the conquest of England by William of Normandy. This monument of medieval art is exhibited in the city museum of the same name.

During World War II, Bayeux became the first French city, liberated by Allied troops the day after the Normandy landings.

Lille

Lille - 256 km to the northeast, 2:34 by car, 2:41 by train, ticket 37.80 €, departure. on weekdays 6:17 (Sat - 8:18, Sun-no), 18:17.

IN Lille- one of the main cities of Northern France - you will find many interesting museums and a huge flea market held in early September. The main attraction and symbol of the city is the Old Exchange building - magnificent palace 17th century. Vauban's fortifications in Lille are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The city was born from a village located on an island between two branches of the Deul River, hence its name - translated from French l’île - “island”. In the Middle Ages, the city actively developed due to its proximity to the Benelux countries and at the intersection trade routes. In 1961, the first hypermarket opened in the Hauts Champs area, giving its name to the world famous Auchan retail chain (after the name of the area). In 1983, Lille opened the first fully automated metro in the world.

Kahn

Caen - west 128 km, 1:26 by car, 1:40 by train (once per hour, 27.50 €)

Kahn- the capital of the Lower Normandy region with a population of over 100 thousand people. The city was made the capital under William the Conqueror, one of the first Dukes of Normandy. Unfortunately, most of the old city of Caen was destroyed during the Battle of Caen in the summer of 1944. The city was rebuilt in 1948-62 according to the Marshall plan, with industrial and green areas.

Among the attractions of Caen, it is worth highlighting the Caen Castle of the 11th-12th centuries - one of the largest fortresses of the Middle Ages in Europe, which now houses several museums. Several churches have also survived - monuments of the Norman Romanesque style (Saint-Etienne Cathedral and Trinity Church), as well as the late Gothic Church of St. Petra.

Paris

Paris - 135 km southeast, 1:55 by car, 1:11 by train (24.10 €, Paris-St-Lazare station)

Paris- the capital of France and the most visited city in the world by tourists. You can get from Rouen to Paris in literally 1:10 -1:30 by direct train, sometimes without stops, sometimes with stops at Giverny. It is pointless to list all the sights of Paris; it is easier to see with your own eyes the majestic churches, beautiful bridges, visit some of the best museums in the world, take a cruise along the Seine, admiring the panoramas of the city, and in the evening, when the route around Paris has been completed, enjoy the best works of French cuisine in one of the gourmet restaurants.

Versailles

Versaille - 126 km southeast, 1.5 hours by car, 1:19 by direct train (25.50 €, 1 time per day - from Rouen at 8:45, TGV to eg Marseille-Saint-Charles, return at 19:58, otherwise - approx. 2:20 with 1 - 2 transfers)

Versailles- the most famous of all royal palaces in France, residence of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Palace complex and its beautiful garden, designed in a formal French style, became the main model for palaces throughout Europe. Usually Versailles is visited by tour from Paris, but from Rouen there is also a direct train directly to Versailles once a day, without stopping in Paris.

Full admission ticket costs €18, entrance only to the main palace complexes of Versailles - €15.

- the capital of Upper Normandy, located on the banks of the Seine.
was founded by the Gauls, who controlled a vast territory in the lower reaches of the Seine. They called the city Ratumacos. It was the second city of Gaul after Lyon, which the Gauls called Lugdunum.
After the conquest by the Romans, it flourished, an amphitheater and baths were built here.
In the 5th century the city became the residence of a bishop; under the Merovingians it was the capital of Neustria.
In 841 the city was conquered by the Normans. And since 912 it was the capital of the Duchy of Normandy.
In the 12th century, many Jews lived in the city – 6 thousand, which accounted for 20% of the city’s total population.
In 1204 french king Philip II Augustus annexed Normandy to his kingdom. At this time, the textile industry began to develop using English wool. At that time, he exported wine and wheat to England.
In the XIII centuries. the struggle captured the city, most of the inhabitants were killed, the rich were robbed.
In the 15th century, during the Hundred Years' War, it came under English rule. In 1413, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in the center.
During the Second World War the city suffered greatly.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

The Seine River divides the city into two parts: Rive Gauche(left bank) and Rive Druath(right bank). The old town is located on the right bank.
The old one is a labyrinth of narrow streets, half-timbered houses, shutters, sharp roofs and flowerpots.
famous for its Notre Dame Cathedral, largest cathedral in style Norman Gothic. A fabulous and airy cathedral rises among the narrow streets.

Rouen Cathedral. Normandy. France.

This cathedral is depicted in a series of paintings by Claude Monet.
Construction of the cathedral began in 1202 and continued until 1880. There are two towers on the façade of the cathedral: the left one was built in the 12th century. (early Gothic), and the right - at the beginning of the 16th century. This is late Gothic with many small details and a complicated form, called flaming Gothic. This tower is also called the Olive Tower for its yellow color. There is another explanation for the name of the tower: butter was prohibited during Lent and those Rouen residents who did not give up butter paid the bishop to atone for this sin, and the tower was built with these funds.
The central spire was built later than all others in the mid-19th century. Its height is 151 meters. At that time it was the tallest building in the world.
The cathedral's windows are decorated with 13th-century mosaics made of the famous cobalt blue, called "Chartres blue". This stained glass window tells the story of St. Julian the Hospitaller.
The cathedral contains the tomb of King Richard the Lionheart. In those days, it was customary to keep it in pieces, therefore, according to the will, the heart of the king rests in the Rouen Cathedral.
Also in Rouen Cathedral is the tomb of Rollo, Richard's ancestor and the first ruler of Normandy.

Church of Saint-Maclou is a striking example of flaming Gothic. It was built in 1437-1517. Behind the church is a crypt - a rare example of medieval burials of plague victims. In the Middle Ages, corpses were brought to the church and thrown into a pit. Much later, a cemetery appeared on this site. Undertakers' shops were built around them, decorated with skulls, bones and skeletons. In the 17th century, a school for the poor was opened here. Then the cemetery and the undertakers' shops were closed, leaving only the art school.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

The city is closely associated with the name of Joan of Arc. Here she was kept in the castle tower, which still stands today, tried and burned at the stake. On the Vieux Marché square, after the Second World War, a cathedral was built at the site of the burning of Joan of Arc. The roof of the cathedral, made in the form of a bonfire, recalls the execution of the Saint.
There is also a museum dedicated to Joan of Arc.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

The most popular in the city, the street of the Great Clock (rue du Gros Horloge), is named after the tower with an ancient clock dating back to the 16th century - this is the symbol and calling card of the city.
This is the first pedestrian street in France.

Clock Street. Rouen.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

Normandy cuisine based on 4 elements: apples, milk, meat and seafood.
Apples are used to make cider and cavaldos - apple brandy.
Famous Norman cheeses:
Camembert, Livarot, Pont l"Eveque, Brillat-Savarin, Neufchatel, Petit Suisse, Boursin.
Dessert:
Apple caramel, chocolate cookies with nuts, macaroons, vanilla cream tube sprinkled with almonds.

Every four years Armada. The most beautiful sailing ships in the world gather at the quays of Rouen for eight unforgettable days.

Armada 2008. Rouen.

The old city of Rouen is located on the right bank of the Seine, where it was once founded by the Celts and equipped by Roman legionnaires. Over time, the Roman settlement of Rotomagus turned into the main city of the Norman principality - the Normans repeatedly sailed their ships up the Seine to Rotomagus: first they plundered and burned the city, then they settled in it as masters and made it their capital.

Rouen grew, moved the fortress walls further and further, and grew with churches, monasteries, and castles.

Monument to Pierre Corneille in front of the theater in Rouen

The main axis of old Rouen stretches parallel to the Seine: from the Church of Saint-Maclou - to the Old Market Square with the Church of Saint Joan of Arc (it was burned on this square).
Sights of Rouen on the map

Claude Monet. Rouen Cathedral at noon

There is an information center directly opposite the cathedral, which has maps and booklets in Russian. The map shows two routes around the historical center of Rouen: brown and purple. It is advisable to follow these routes - they pass through the most wonderful, indicative streets of Rouen.

Bureau of Finance - left

Medallions on the facade of the Bureau of Finance

The façade of Rouen Cathedral is unique - it’s not for nothing that it attracted the attention of Claude Monet. Over the centuries, the façade has been remodeled many times. Its left tower of Saint-Romain (12th century) is crowned with a spire, its right tower of Beure (15th century) ends with a terrace. Saint-Romain is the patron saint of Rouen, so his name has firmly and repeatedly entered the toponymy of Rouen.

Bas-reliefs

There are three portals cut into the façade: Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Romain and Saint-Etienne. A bell tower with a cast-iron spire is raised above the middle cross.

Rouen Cathedral inside: central nave

Saints: Andrew, Peter, Roman, Nicholas

If you exit the cathedral from the right side portal, then in the depths of the street, on the Tall Old Tower Square, you can see a building with an unusual pedestal with a gazebo tower. It was built in 1524. The annual religious procession with the relics of St. Romanus ended on this pedestal.

Building with pedestal

Viennese coffee shop on rue Saint-Romain

The Church of Saint-Maclou evokes a feeling of lightness, grace, and flight. A striking example of flaming Gothic.

Church of Saint-Maclou

Door fragment

The church is surrounded by half-timbered houses.

The narrow street Damiet goes to the left, along which you can walk to the Abbey of Saint-Ouen.

On the left side of the facade there is a fountain with drinking water. And here are the peeing boys, but they don’t look as radiant as their counterpart in Brussels.

Fountain with a pissing boy, drinking water

Courtyard in front of the atrium of Saint-Maclou

Atrium of Saint-Maclou - plague cemetery

Saint-Romain Tower of Rouen Cathedral

And here, in fact, is the tower with the Big Clock

...and the bas-reliefs underneath

Behind the arch, on the left side, there is a bas-relief fountain.

Bas-relief fountain behind the Big Clock Tower

Local “macaroni” - colorful macaroons - are sold on the street.

Continuation of the Big Clock Street

And - again a line of half-timbered houses, and we come out onto the Old Market Square. However, the market still exists today: a civilized indoor market: vegetables, fruits, cheeses.

Church of Joan of Arc

To the right of the church are the remains of the foundation of the destroyed church.

Old Market Square. Foundation of a ruined church

On the other side, behind a low wooden fence, is the site of the burning of Joan of Arc.

The church houses the restored stained glass windows of the Church of Saint-Vincens.

Church of Joan of Arc inside

Place Pussel

Watchman on the windowsill

At the junction of the squares there is a remarkable building - the Burgterulda Hotel. The Burgteruld mansion was built in the early 16th century for the influential Le Roux family. Built of yellow stone, decorated with bas-reliefs and a corner turret.

Hotel Burgteruld

Portal of the Burgteruld Hotel

This is truly a palace. The same flaming Gothic style, a stone lace shawl draped over the building.

Palace of Justice

Decor details

Previously, this place belonged to the Jewish community. After the expulsion of the Jews from Rouen, this land was no man's land for some time, then the herbal market was located here. At the end of the 15th century, it was decided to build a Norman feudal court, and a building arose that was not inferior in beauty and sophistication of decoration to many palaces.

Portals of the Church of Saint-Ouen

To the left of the church there is a long gallery, behind it is a green square and the long yellow city hall building. In front of the city hall is an equestrian statue of Napoleon.

The gallery along the Saint-Ouen church is a meeting place for local youth

Opposite Napoleon, Rue Jean Lecanue begins, following which we find ourselves on Place Verdel, in the local “quarter of museums”. The most significant of them is the Museum of Fine Arts. Next to it is the Sec de Tournai Museum of Blacksmithing and the Museum of Ceramics. The Saint-Godard Church is adjacent to the Museum of Fine Arts. And just north of the Museum of Ceramics is the tower of Joan of Arc, in which she was located for some time. The donjon tower is the little that remains of the castle of King Philip on August 2nd.

From the Tower of Joan of Arc it is very close to the Rouen train station.

There is also a natural attraction in Rouen - St. Catherine's Hill. It is located on the eastern outskirts of the city, half an hour's walk from the city center. The hill itself is considered a natural monument; rare species of animals and plants are found here, including the Rouen violet, Italian crickets, and Soloni sheep. From the top there is a panoramic view of Rouen and the Seine with bridges.

The required time for a full inspection of Rouen is two days.

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Normandy is a country of tranquil rural landscapes, green meadows, beautiful Gothic castles and ancient legends. This is the land of the famous William the Conqueror, who practically laid the foundation for the history of neighboring England as a state. In Norman Rouen, the legendary Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc, was convicted and executed. Today, an elegant temple stands near the site of her burning.

The streets of Rouen are a real museum gothic architecture. Several hundred houses were built here in the magnificent Flaming Gothic style. The exquisite facades and spiers of the Palace of Justice, decorated with thin stone lace, and the incredible stained glass windows of the Rouen Cathedral delight even people indifferent to architectural beauty.

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What to see and where to go in Rouen?

The most interesting and Beautiful places for walks. Photos and brief description.

The legendary Joan of Arc, the heroine of the Hundred Years' War, canonized by the Catholic Church in the 20th century, was burned on Vieux Marché Square. Many buildings surrounding this place are somehow connected with her name. The square contains a museum dedicated to the memory of Joan, as well as a monument surrounded by flower beds marking the place of her execution. Along the perimeter of the square there are elegant half-timbered houses, decorating the city landscape.

The cathedral is one of the most striking monuments of Gothic architecture in France. It was erected in the 13th century on the foundations of a Romanesque church from the 11th century. The archbishop's palace is adjacent to the temple, which forms a single architectural complex with it. The bell tower of the cathedral reaches a height of 151 meters. The architecture of the temple made a strong impression on the artist K. Monet, who created a series of paintings dedicated to the cathedral.

The abbey was founded in the 6th century, and gradually it became the most influential monastery in Normandy. The monastery existed until the 9th century, until it was destroyed by pagan Normans. Restoration took place in the 11th century under William I the Conqueror. The first church of the monastery was built in the Romanesque style, later in the XIV-XVI centuries. the building was rebuilt in accordance with the canons of the Gothic style.

The temple was built in the picturesque Flaming Gothic style. Its spiers truly resemble tongues of stone flame reaching to the heavens. The church was built in the period 1437-1521. on voluntary donations from patrons. The temple is decorated with bright, skillful stained glass windows of the 15th century and elegant decorative elements. During World War II, the temple was partially destroyed; restoration was completed in 2010.

A Benedictine monastery of the 11th-12th centuries, which was badly damaged during the religious wars between Protestants and Catholics. Some buildings had to be rebuilt, so the abbey has buildings from both the 12th century and the 17th century, and there is some mixing of architectural styles. Around the monastery there is a picturesque French park with hedges, an orchard and a garden of medicinal plants.

The temple is located on the Vieux Marché square. In the 16th century, in its place stood gothic cathedral, from which only stained glass windows remain. The Church of St. Joan was built in a modern manner using asymmetrical architectural forms and interesting engineering solutions. The roof of the structure symbolizes the flames in which Jeanne died. The complex of church buildings also includes an indoor market.

The tower is the only surviving building of the Rouen Castle, which was built for Philip II Augustus. Local limestone was used to build the fortifications. The building was destroyed during the religious wars. The donjon tower is famous for the fact that the trial of the Maid of Orleans took place here in 1431. However, Jeanne was kept captive in another tower, now destroyed.

The palace is considered one of the most picturesque buildings in Rouen. It was erected in the 16th century according to the design of R. Le Roux and R. Ango and was used for city council meetings. The building is a striking example of secular Gothic. Today, the local court sits in the palace, and there are also two museums and a library. The palace facade resembles a fancy stone lace, its decorative details are so skillfully made.

The gallery is one of the largest in Normandy, its permanent exhibition located in 60 halls. The collections of the 17th and 19th centuries are considered especially significant and complete. The collection contains works by Modigliani, Renoir, Lancret, Moreau, Monet and other masters. In addition to paintings, the museum collection includes sculptures, graphics, jewelry and furniture. The museum constantly hosts temporary exhibitions of famous and recognized artists.

The museum has existed since the 19th century; it is located in a church from the 16th century. Initially, the exhibition was located in Paris, but later it was transported to Rouen. The museum's collection contains artistic forging products from the Roman period to the 20th century. Many exhibits were brought from Arab and Asian countries, as well as from Russia. In the museum you can examine forged grilles, utensils, decorative railings, signs and much more.

An interactive exhibition that immerses visitors in the atmosphere of different eras. “Panorama” is a huge metal cylinder 34 meters in diameter and 35 meters in height. Inside this cylinder there is a circular volumetric fresco that reproduces the chain of events of a certain historical period. In 2015 it was the year 312 - the time of the adoption of Christianity by Emperor Constantine, in 2016 - a panorama of Rouen from the time of Joan of Arc.

The collection is located in a historical mansion from the 16th century. It contains exhibits dating back to the period of the 16th-19th centuries. For the first time in France, the secret of making faience was revealed by a resident of Rouen. Until this moment, only Italian masters were in possession of the secret. By the 17th century, Rouen became famous throughout the world for its ceramics. During a guided tour, you can learn about ceramic technology.

Pedestrian street located between the Market Square and Rouen Cathedral. Along the street there are town houses with half-timbered facades. Its name comes from the old astronomical clock, which is located on a stone arch of the 16th century. Several centuries ago, they even hired a special caretaker who monitored the serviceability of the mechanism and lived not far from the arch.

The garden was founded in the 17th century. At first it was private territory, once even Napoleon Bonaparte owned it. In the 19th century, the garden became city property and became accessible to everyone. Some parts of the park are closed to the public due to research activities taking place within their boundaries. In the city botanical garden there is a large rose garden where varieties grown by Normandy specialists grow.

The bridge was built in 2008, equipped with lifting structures and has a large capacity. The spans are specially placed high above the water so that people can easily pass under them. large ships. The supporting columns of the bridge rise 91 meters above the Seine, the length of the spans is more than 1 km. The structure was designed by engineers E. Zublen and M. Virlojo. The cost of construction work amounted to 155 million euros.