Hôtel-de-Ville
As one of the lofty windows bears the date 1623, the popular belief that the building was erected by the famous Governor Marillac is unfounded. It is possible, however, that tradition, according to which Marillac sheltered Marie de Médicis there, after her flight from Paris, is founded on fact.
It is a fine structure in the Medicis style. The façade which overlooks the garden resembles that of the Luxembourg in Paris in some of its lines.
At the side of the Hôtel-de-Ville, at No. 19, is the house of M. Clément.
MAIN ENTRANCE (REBUILT) TO THE ABBEY OF ST. VANNE,
IN THE COURT OF NO. 19 RUE DE L’HÔTEL-DE-VILLE
A learned amateur, Monsieur Clément, who was killed during the bombardments of 1916, had collected a considerable number of fragments of the Abbey of St. Vanne and rebuilt the principal doorway of the latter (see [p. 52]) in the courtyard of his house. The famous door of the Capitulary Room, described and drawn by Viollet-le-Duc, was of curious 13th-century design. The lintel of the tympanum was ornamented with foliage, which is an interesting peculiarity, as the sculptural decoration of the tympanums of doors was very rare at that time in civil architecture.
RUINS IN THE RUE MAZEL AND RUE DU ST. ESPRIT.
Return to the Place Chevert, cross the St. Croix Bridge, and go to the Place d’Armes via the Place and Rue Mazel, whose houses are in ruins.
THE PRINCERIE IN 1916, RUE DE LA BELLE-VIERGE, NOS. 16 AND 18 (see [p.40]).
Turn to the left into the Rue St. Pierre. In the Place d’Armes take the Rue de la Belle-Vierge as far as the Hôtel de la Princerie, former residence of the “primicerius,” first archdeacon of the Cathedral.
Rebuilt in 1525, it has been divided in recent times into two houses, Nos. 16 and 18. While the façade of No. 18 was modern, that of No. 16, with its window-gratings, retained its ancient aspect. The courtyard was ornamented on two of its sides with two-storied Renaissance galleries (hist. mon.). Although of 16th-century construction, the decoration of this cloister was inspired by the Middle Age or Transition Period (note the crocketted capitals of the pillars and the bases of the latter).
THE PRINCERIE CLOISTER (hist. mon.) BEFORE THE WAR.
The house was destroyed by the bombardments, and the cloister is almost entirely in ruins.
THE PRINCERIE CLOISTER IN 1916.
The street took its name from a statue of the Virgin on the monumental entrance-gate of the deanery.
AN OBSERVATION-POST IN MAGDELEINE SQUARE (1916).
Take the Rue de la Magdeleine on the left, beyond the deanery, as far as the Place de la Magdeleine.
At No. 2 of this square is an early 16th-century house (sometimes called the “Maison de Jules II.”), with a carved triangular pediment supported by two pillars. Built after the decease of Pope Julius II., it was probably erected on the site of the house where he lived while still Cardinal Julian de la Rovère.
At No. 19 of the square, cross the house in ruins to a kind of garden-terrace at the back, built on the site of the old ramparts, vestiges of which are still visible. Fine view of the ruins in the Rues Mazel, Châtel and St. Esprit.
Take the Rues Châtel and Belle-Vierge to the Cathedral (see Itinerary, [p. 31]).
RUINS IN THE RUE CHÂTEL, SEEN FROM THE CATHEDRAL (1916).
THE CATHEDRAL (hist. mon.)
The Cathedral of Verdun, like that of Angers, was one of the first French churches to be dedicated to the Virgin. In the 7th or 8th centuries its patronal festival was The Nativity, but this was changed to The Assumption at the beginning of the 19th century.
It is an ancient edifice, but has often been restored and altered. The original 5th-century church, which it replaced, was built on the ruins of a Roman castrum, like those of Rheims, Metz and Trèves.
The Cathedral was consecrated in 1147 by Pope Eugenius III., assisted by eighteen cardinals and St. Bernard. The plans were made by the Rhenish architect Garin, and, contrarily to French practice, included two transepts and two apses. With its four similar spires, two on each choir, it looked, according to a popular saying, like a “bahut” (chest of drawers on legs), turned upside down.
The fire of 1755 caused important alterations to be made which, without suppressing the main lines of the Cathedral, disfigured the interior. These alterations explain the lack of harmony in the edifice.
The four Roman towers with spires disappeared after 1755. Only the two western towers were replaced by the present large ones.
The Cathedral did not greatly suffer from the bombardment of 1916, during the German offensive, but that of April–May, 1917, damaged it very seriously. The vaults were either pierced or brought down, and the roof destroyed. Near the apsis a big shell tore open the ground, bringing to light an unknown subterranean passage or crypt.
VERDUN SEEN FROM ONE OF THE CATHEDRAL TOWERS.
In the foreground: Roof of nave, east transept, and great choir of Cathedral.
In the middle-ground: The Meuse; on the left, Chaussée Gate; in the middle, Military Club.
In the background: Line of trees marking the ramparts; behind, Belleville Village (on the left) and the Pavé Faubourg.
On the horizon: Belleville Hills.
The tourist, arriving at the Place de la Cathédrale, via the Rue de la Belle-Vierge (see Itinerary, [p. 31]), finds himself in front of the North Façade (photo below).
THE CATHEDRAL.
In the middle: The towers around the old choir.
On the left: The North Front and Main Doorway.
On the right: Entrance to Margueritte College, leading
to the Bishop’s Palace and the Cloister (see [pp. 49–51]).
In the middle is the entrance portal; on the right, the Western Transept and the Towers enclosing the remarkable, square-shaped old Choir; on the left, the Eastern Transept and polygonal apsis of the Great Choir (photo below).
In front of the Towers, on the right of this photograph, is the entrance to Margueritte College, giving access to the Bishop’s Palace and the Cloister (see [pp. 49–51]).