![Cathedral of Our Lady of Rodez 79](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_of_Rodez_79.jpg)
Rodez Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rodez) is a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* Chris ...
located in town of
Rodez
Rodez ( or ; oc, Rodés, ) is a small city and commune in the South of France, about 150 km northeast of Toulouse. It is the prefecture of the department of Aveyron, region of Occitania (formerly Midi-Pyrénées). Rodez is the seat of the ...
, in the department of
Aveyron
Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants o ...
in the
Occitanie Occitanie may refer to:
*Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French
*Occitania (administrative region)
Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Occitània ) is the southernmost administrative region of ...
region of Southern France. The
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
is a
national monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
[ Cathédrale Notre-Dame] and is the seat of the
Bishopric of Rodez
The Diocese of Rodez (–Vabres) ( la, Dioecesis Ruthenensis (–Vabrensis); French: ''Diocèse de Rodez (–Vabres)'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The episcopal see is in Rodez. The di ...
. The west front, of a military appearance and without a portal, formerly was part of the city wall of Rodez. Notable elements include a
Flamboyant Gothic
Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...
and Renaissance tower (17th century), and a Renaissance
rood screen
The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...
and choir stalls (17th century).
History
Rodez was Christianized in the 4th–5th century AD, and the first mention of a cathedral dates from the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
period, in around 516, though little is known of its features. On 16 February 1276, the bell tower and roof of the choir of this early church collapsed. The construction of a new cathedral was begun, likely led by the Bishop Raymont de Calmont d'Olt, and master builder Jean Deschamps. The cathedral's design was influenced by
Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral and
Limoges Cathedral
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, lo ...
as well as by the cathedrals
Ile-de-France, an influence visible in features such as the blind arcades of the triforium and the strong sense of verticality.
The first four-part rib vaults of the choir were installed, giving it a height of thirty meters, divided into three levels. The first chapel on the north side was finished in 1338. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the work was slowed by the
Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
and the
Hundred Years War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...
. Between 1366 and 1386 a new tower was constructed, at the northeast corner of the cathedral, crowned with a spire of wood covered with lead. However, the timbers of the tower burned and destroyed the upper levels. It remained unfinished for more than a century.
In the 16th century, thanks to the efforts of Bishops Francois D'Estaing, who raised the funds, and Georges d'Armagnac, work resumed. The vaults of the nave were finally finished, and a new tower was constructed upon the two levels of the earlier tower. The new tower, the work of the master mason Antoine Salvanh, was built between 1501 and 1529. The upper portions of the completed tower incorporated both
Flamboyant
Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...
Gothic features and elements of the new
French Renaissance architecture.
Following the French Revolution, the cathedral was closed for worship and was used as a storage depot for gunpowder, before it was returned to the Church in the early 19th century.
In 1792–98,
Pierre Méchain and
Jean-Baptiste Delambre
Jean Baptiste Joseph, chevalier Delambre (19 September 1749 – 19 August 1822) was a French mathematician, astronomer, historian of astronomy, and geodesist. He was also director of the Paris Observatory, and author of well-known books on th ...
used Rodez Cathedral as the central surveying point for their calculation of the circumference of the earth. This was used in the definition of the
metre
The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its pref ...
(see
History of the metre
The history of the metre starts with the Scientific Revolution that is considered to have begun with Nicolaus Copernicus's publication of '' De revolutionibus orbium coelestium'' in 1543. Increasingly accurate measurements were required, and ...
).
Plans
File:Cathédrale de Rodez - élévation 1897 planche lithographiée n°68 - Archives nationales.jpg, Elevation (1897)
File:Cathédrale de Rodez - élévation 1897 planche lithographiée n°67 - Archives nationales.jpg, Elevation (1897 lithograph - National Archives)
File:Cathédrale de Rodez - coupe au niveau du clocher 1897 planche lithographiée n°69 - Archives nationales.jpg, Cutaway of interior of cathedral and tower
File:Cathédrale de Rodez - plan au-dessus du dallage 1897 planche lithographiée n°71 - Archives nationales.jpg, Interior plan (1897 lithograph)
Exterior
File:France Occitanie 12 Rodez Cathedrale 02.jpg, Cathedral viewed from the northwest, with north bell tower at left
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame (11-2015) IMG 1289.JPG, East end, or Chevet, with radiating chapels and flying buttresses
The construction of the church began in about 1277, and commenced with the chevet, at the east end, flanked by an imposing square tower on the north side, which was built up only two levels. Construction of the unfinished work resumed in the 16th century when Francois d'Estaing completed the north tower with a Flamboyant bell tower 87 meters high. The west front, with its own flamboyant decoration, was completed by Georges d'Armagnac between 1500 and 1562.
West Front
File:Cathedral of Our Lady of Rodez 59.jpg, Flamboyant rose window of the west front (1500-1562)
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame -02.JPG, Detail of the upper west front, with a Renaissance fronton (1500-1562)
The lower portion of the west front at Rodez, the traditional entrance to Gothic cathedrals, is flat and plain, with narrow slit windows for defense and no large portal. It originally extended outside the city wall, and large doors or windows were avoided to prevent access by the attackers to the city. The lower are made of reddish sandstone, in the Gothic style of northern France. The upper levels of the west front were constructed between 1500 and 1562 by Bishop Georges d'Armagnac. The upper central vessel of the nave has a large rose window, while the two unfinished towers on either side are decorated with engaged columns. Above the rose window is a
fronton in the new Renaissance style, the work of
Jean Salvanh
Jean Salvanh (between 1515 and 1520 in Rodez – after 1580) was a 16th-century French architect.
Biography
Upon the death of his father, Antoine Salvanh, he succeeded him as master builder of the cathedral. An act dated 24 October 1554, drawn ...
.
["Guide du Patrimoine en France", p. 440]
North Tower
File:Cathedral Notre-Dame of Rodez 04.jpg, The flamboyant tower (16th century) on its earlier Gothic base
File:Cathedral of Our Lady in Rodez 11.jpg, The flamboyant upper tower (16th century)
The highly
flamboyant
Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...
north bell tower, 87 meters high, is placed on the north side of the tower. It was commissioned by Bishop Francois D'Estaing and completed in `1526 by master builder
Antoine Salvanh
Antoine Salvanh (hamlet of Vabrette, at Ayssènes; c. 1476 – c. 1554), was a Rouergat architect from the first half of the 16th century who made the transition between the flamboyant gothic and the styles.
He married in 1516 with the daughte ...
. The tower is topped by a lantern which in turn is crowned by a statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by four angels.
The transept and portals
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame -04.JPG, Facade and portal of the north transept
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame -05.JPG, Facade and portal of the south transept
File:Cathedral of Our Lady of Rodez 12.jpg, Rose window on the south transept
File:Rodez 005.JPG, Detail of the north transept portal, without sculpture
Since the west front of the cathedral extended just outside the city walls, it did not have the traditional large portal on the west front. Instead, the entrances to the cathedral were on the north and south sides. In the sixteen century, A transept was constructed at the meeting point between the nave and choir, which reached out to the east and west and had very elaborate portals, topped by filled with sculpture, and further decorated with gables and pinnacles. Flamboyant rose windows were placed over the portals on the north and south transept. Much of the sculpture was smashed during the French Revolution, but other elements survived and were restored.
Interior
Nave and Choir
File:Rodez - cathédrale (4).jpg, The nave and choir, looking east to the apse
File:Rodez,cathédrale,intérieur109,voute déambulatoire depuis chapelle axiale1.jpg, Vaults of the disambulatory, at the east end
The nave and choir of the church are 101.57 meters long, 36.89 meters wide at the transept, and 30 meters high in the nave. The nave and choir are constructed with three levels, following the design of Ile-de-France cathedrals; massive pillars on the ground floor; a narrow triforium or passage above; and upper walls filled with windows. Slender columns run up the walls from the arcade pillars to support the four-part rib vaults.
Chapels
File:Rodez,cathédrale,intérieur31,chapelle Réconciliation,décor Renaissance7.jpg, Renaissance decoration (16th c.) installed in the Chapel of Reconciliation.
The cathedral has a group of radiating chapels within the apse, at the east end, accessed by a semicircular passage or deambulatory. It also has a group of chapels placed alongside the nave. The Chapel of Reconciliation has Renaissance decoration preserved from other parts of the buildings.
Art and Decoration
File:Rodez,cathédrale,intérieur33,chapelle Ste Anne,bas-relief Mise au Tombeau.jpg, Relief sculpture from retable "Placement of Christ in the Tomb" (Chapel of St. Anne, (16th c.)
File:Mise au tombeau cathédrale de Rodez.jpg, Scene on the Altar piece, "Placement of Christ in the Tomb" (16th c.)
File:Rodez-Cathédrale Notre Dame-Clôture-20140622.jpg, The rood screen
The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...
, in the south transept (15th c.)
File:Plafond d'une chapelle de la cathédrale.jpg, Fresco of Christ in his multiple roles on the ceiling of the apse axial chapel (14th c.)
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Peintures murales -05.JPG, Frescoes depicting scenes of the life of Saint Eligius
Saint Eligius (also Eloy, Eloi or Loye; french: Éloi; 11 June 588 – 1 December 660 AD) is the patron saint of goldsmiths, other metalworkers, and Coin collecting, coin collectors. He is also the patron saint of veterinarians, the Royal Elect ...
(15th c.)
File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rodez - chapelle de l'Annonciation - retable 2014-06-22.jpg, Retable of the Annunciation
The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
File:Rodez,cathédrale,intérieur106,stalles5.jpg, The carved choir stalls (15th c.)
File:Rodez (12) fond de la cathédrale 6.jpg, A misercordia on the back of a choir stall (15th c.)
File:Rodez,cathédrale,intérieur113,dais épiscopal1.jpg, Carved decoration in the interior
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Peintures murales -04.JPG, Murals in the Chapel of Saint Catherine: St. Christopher carrying the infant Jesus on his back
Rodez Cathedral is one of the few Gothic churches that retains a jubé or
rood screen
The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...
, placed between the choir and the nave. Most French rood screens were removed during the Renaissance, in response to a Vatican change in church doctrine intended to make the interior of churches more open and accessible to lay parishioners. The rood screen was installed in 1478, under Bishop Bertrandt de Chalencon. In the 19th century, the choir screen lost most of its elaborate sculpture but otherwise was moved intact to its present location in the north transept.
The choir stalls were also installed in 1478, and display a rich assortment of carved decorations, particularly on the misercordiae, the folding seats against which the clergy could find support when they were required to stand for long periods of time. They are decorated with carved Biblical figures and scenes.
Stained glass
File:Rodez,cathédrale,intérieur24,chapelle St Joseph,vitraux 14 &15e s.jpg, Window integrating glass from 14th and 15th century, St. Joseph's Chapel
File:Cathedral of Our Lady of Rodez 14.jpg, Rose window of the west front (16th c.) (multiple click to see detail)
File:Rodez - Cathédrale Notre-Dame - Vitrail -03.JPG, 19th century window
File:Rodez-Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Chapelle Saint Raphaël-L'eau-20140622.jpg, Contemporary window - "The Creation of the Elements - Water"
The cathedral has a mixture of early windows, 19th-century windows, and a series of modern windows depicting, among others, the subjects, the creation of the Elements. In some windows, early glass has been combined with more modern settings.
The great organ
File:Cathedral of Our Lady of Rodez 48.jpg
File:Rodez,cathédrale,orgue14.jpg
File:Rodez,cathédrale,orgue10.jpg
The great organ is one of the famous features of the cathedral. The buffet was constructed in 1628 by Raymond Guimond de Périgueux to house an organ built by Vernohlles de Poitiers. The instrument was rebuilt in 1676 by Jean de Joyeux. It was reconstructed again in 1902 by Charles Anneessens, then rebuilt once again in 1986 par Jean-Georges & Yves Koenig to return it to its earlier form under Jean de Joyeux Joyeuse en 1986. Both the buffet and the instrument are protected in the list of French historic monuments.
See also
*
Jean Salvanh
Jean Salvanh (between 1515 and 1520 in Rodez – after 1580) was a 16th-century French architect.
Biography
Upon the death of his father, Antoine Salvanh, he succeeded him as master builder of the cathedral. An act dated 24 October 1554, drawn ...
*
Antoine Salvanh
Antoine Salvanh (hamlet of Vabrette, at Ayssènes; c. 1476 – c. 1554), was a Rouergat architect from the first half of the 16th century who made the transition between the flamboyant gothic and the styles.
He married in 1516 with the daughte ...
*
List of Gothic Cathedrals in Europe
*
French Gothic architecture
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
* .
La Cathédrale Notre-Dame et l'orgue, Rodez (France) - musiqueorguequebec.caVisite de la Cathédrale - Paroisse Notre Dame de l'Assomption - Rodez - Aveyron (12)
{{Coord, 44, 21, 3, N, 2, 34, 26, E, type:landmark_region:FR, display=title
Roman Catholic cathedrals in France
Fortified church buildings in France
Churches in Aveyron
Basilica churches in France
Gothic architecture in France
Monuments historiques of Aveyron