The Bishop’s Palace
This fine spacious building was erected in 1725–1755 from the plans of Robert de Cotte. It has two terraces and a garden, with a view over the whole town. Under the First Empire it was a senatorial palace.
At the time of the separation of the Church from the State it was turned into a museum. The latter contains a fine collection of medals and coins, also numerous fragments of the ancient Abbey of St. Vanne, which was inside the Citadel. These fragments include the remains of a Pagan altar, a Corinthian capital with Barbarian ornamentation, and an ivory comb with inscriptions, said to have been given by Emperor St. Henri to the Abbot of St. Vanne in 1024.
THE BISHOP’S PALACE. FAÇADE LOOKING ON THE
COURTYARD AND ENTRANCE TO THE MUSEUM.
THE CLOISTER
On the left: Aisle of the Cathedral (see [p. 47]) and the Transept
with ruined roof.
In the background: The East Gallery of the Cloister
The Cloister (Hist. Mon. 13th and 14th centuries)
The door of Margueritte College and the courtyard of the Bishop’s Palace lead to the Cloister (see photos, [pp. 43] and [49]).
Although Gothic in structure, parts of the carved decorative work announced the coming Renaissance (helmeted warriors and antique personages crowned with laurels).
Some of the keystones of the vaulting, representing bloated, bearded faces, are said to be caricatures of the canons of the Cathedral, made by the workmen who built the cloister, to revenge themselves for the Church’s stinginess.
THE WEST GALLERY IN WHICH THE STAIRCASE
LEADING TO THE CLOISTER OPENS OUT (1914)
The arrangement of the blind windows against the walls is very rarely met with
THE CLOISTER SEEN FROM ONE OF THE CATHEDRAL TOWERS
In the background: the East Gallery.
On the right the Seminary and South Gallery in ruins.
In the town is seen St. Saviour’s Church against the green
background of the fortifications
The heavy Seminary buildings, erected on two of the galleries, are 19th century. They were almost entirely destroyed by the bombardments.
THE SOUTH GALLERY OF THE CLOISTER BEFORE THE WAR
Its present state is shown in the [previous photograph]
On leaving the Cathedral, the tourist arrives almost immediately at the small Place Châtel, the highest point of the town. Take, the Rue Châtel to the Châtel Gate.
CHÂTEL GATE. BEHIND THE CATHEDRAL.
From the ancient “Fermeté” rampart, only this machicolated gate (formerly called “Champenoise”) is visible near the small “Place Châtel.”
On leaving the Châtel Gate, go down the Rue des Hauts Fins to the corner of the Rue Montgaud: Blockhouse for four machine-guns to defend the town.
Cross the Esplanade de la Roche to the Citadelle.