VISIT TO THE TOWN
On leaving the Cathedral, follow the itinerary on page 13.
The surroundings of Soissons, like the cathedral, suffered severely from the bombardments. In the Place de la Cathédrale (or Place Mantoue), the Rue des Minimes and the Place du Cloître are broken roofs, and in the Rue du Beffroi, ruins of houses.
CENTURY TURRET
Place de la Cathédrale.
At no 6 of the Place de la Cathédrale, in front of the bombarded Presbytery, stands a much damaged 13th century tower (photo opposite) all that remains of the old Bishop’s Palace, rebuilt in 1638, of brick and stone, at the south of the Place between the Rue de l’Évêché and the Rue des Minimes.
In the court of the Bishop’s Palace (reached through the Rue de l’Évêché), near the Rue des Minimes, there still stand about 15 yards of the old Gallo-Roman wall which surrounded the town (hist. mon.)
The wall has a facing of dressed stone interrupted at frequent intervals by a string-course of red bricks.
To reach the Place du Cloître take the Rue de l’Évêché, round the chevet of the Cathedral.
PLACE DE LA CATHÉDRALE AND RUE DU BEFFROI.
THE PLACE DU CLOÎTRE IN 1914.
The Place du Cloître, at right angles to the north portal of the Cathedral, was formerly lined by the houses of the Canons. Of these old dwellings there remain three bays in tierce-point (13th century), on the first story of a house (No 14) in the Place (on the left of the photographs on this page).
Opposite are two Renaissance façades.
Most of the houses in the Place were badly damaged by shells aimed at the cathedral.
Fortunately, these three remarkable façades escaped injury.
THE PLACE DU CLOÎTRE IN 1918.
THE RUE DU COLLÈGE.
Take the Rue du Collège on the left, devastated by incendiary bombs from aeroplanes (photo opposite); at the end of a blind alley stands the door of the college (hist. mon.) (Photo below) built between 1740 and 1760.
THE DOOR OF THE COLLEGE.
THE GRAND’PLACE AND THEATRE.
Doric pillars support a large frontal with decorative carving representing Pallas and Ceres.
This door is intact, but the college buildings suffered severely.
Several shells penetrated the walls and roofing, exploding in the dormitories and class-rooms and destroying all before them.
Follow the Rue du Collège as far as the Rue des Cordeliers (first on the right) which leads to the Grand’Place (photo below). Here are 18th century houses (Nos 9-11), the early 19th century theatre and a late 19th century ornamental fountain.
The theatre suffered severely from bombardment, its roof being completely destroyed, but the fountain escaped injury.
SAINT-LÉGER CHURCH AND VICINITY.
Take the rue Saint-Léger as far as the Church of Saint-Léger, the houses round about which have been destroyed (photo above).