Cathédrale Saint Etienne, Toulouse

The Saint Etienne Cathedral in Toulouse is a unique testimony of a building effort that spanned for more than 6 centuries. 
Its construction debut is rather unclear but the general agreement places it in the 13th century. It is by the wishes of the newly elected bishop Bertrand de l'Isle-Jourdain that a new church should be built, that would rival the grand Parisian cathedrals. The architect that will accept this great endeavor is Jean Deschamps, the same architect that planned the Cathedrale of Narbonne and also worked on the Cathedrales de Clermant-Ferrand, Limoges and Rodez.
As a result of such a long construction process, and due to a fire that halted the construction progress in 1609, a dihotomic appearance is preserved both on the exterior and the interior. The main entrance is through the wide nave called Raymondine (the oldest part of the cathedral) which has a romanesque influence, while the second part consists of a long and vast choir, built in a northern gothic style, easily recognizable in many gothic cathedrals across Europe.
Raymondine nave
 Gothic choir
 Entrance in the cathedral through the Raymondine nave
The gothic choir and Raymondine nave
 The altar at the end the gothic choir

 Saint Germaine Chapel


 Notre Dame des Anges Chapel

 "Rosace" window from 1270
 La Vierge de Pitie (Gervais Drouet)


 Stained glass
Most of the stained glass in the cathedral is from the 19th century but some parts are older, going back even to the 13th century.
Saint Etienne Cathedrale of Toulouse is exquisite not only because of its discrepant architecture which makes it one of a kind but also for the solemn grandiosity that propagates a cold, silent  piety within its high arcades.


Comentarii

Trimiteți un comentariu

Postări populare de pe acest blog

Across the polar circle, along Norway

Imagine
Back when we were in the planning stage, we thought that hiking the Lofoten mountains would be the peak of our polar experience. We're so glad that we were wrong, it was merely the beginning of a unique trip. We've tagged team with Ola and Mariusz and left stormy Reine, heading north. We've passed along deep fjords, mountains of attractive and untouched wilderness, went into tunnels of incredible length, through landscapes where only the road disturbed the peace.   Vågan Church (oldest church in Lofoten, 1898) The harbor in Svolvær, northern Lofoten   Typical landscape in central Lofoten We left Lofoten islands the same day, during the night and camped somewhere along the road, close to Saltstraumen, while it was raining. This experience itself was special. The only sign of human presence was the road, equipped with some sort of devices that made sounds every time cars were approaching in order to prevent wild animals, especially moose, from crossing the
Citiți mai multe

Our story and portrait of Matterhorn

Imagine
How fond are you of mountains? If the answer is very much then this story might be of interest to you and, who knows, you might enjoy the photos as well. We will take you at the foot of one of the most picturesque and spectacular mountainscapes in Europe, the home of many four-thousanders and their king, the Matterhorn. We arrived in Zermatt on a Sunday. It was already dark outside and cloudy so we couldn't grasp the surroundings and make an idea of the geography of the area. We had however the feeling that we are close to something of great proportions, lurking in the dark, mighty and tremendous. We scouted the air for any chances to see through the low-lying clouds...nothing. The mountain was waiting... The village of Zermatt seemed very welcoming and friendly. It was February so naturally there were a lot of people, mostly skiers going back and forth, tiny and funny looking electrical cars that served as taxis in the area. One thing which is great about this place is th
Citiți mai multe

Caminul lui Neptun

Imagine
Orasul Alghero se afla in proximitatea unuia din cele mai interesante din punct de vedere geologic si spectaculoase din punct de vedere peisagistic, obiective din Sardinia. La doar 21 km NV de oras, sade casa lui Neptun sau generic, Grota lui Neptun. Grota calcaroasa este situata exact sub Capo Caccia si gazduieste formatiuni stalactitice si stalagmitice dintre cele mai impresionante. Pe langa turismul clasic, grota este o locatie excelenta pentru amatorii de scufundari si de ce nu, exteriorul stancos poate fi o destinatie pentru cei suficient de nebuni sa plonjeze in mare de la inaltimi de 150-200 m. Interiorul grotei sta marturie a milioane de ani (cca. 75 de milioane) in care apa marina a precipitat continuu pentru a da nastere coloanelor, stilolitelor si draperiilor ce pot atinge inaltimi de peste 10 m.
Citiți mai multe