If we wish to view the northern side, we must enter the cour de l'Albane.[12] The collateral chapels are lighted by nine windows, which are surmounted by different ornaments. We also perceive, on some of the lower windows of the tower of Saint-Romain, the round arch of the XIth century; from which one may conjecture that this portion of the tower was spared from the conflagration, in the year 1200.
The porch of the Calende, was built at the same period as that of the booksellers, and is nearly disposed in the same manner. Above the door, we distinguish a large bas-relief, which is divided into three compartments: the lower one, says Mr Gilbert, represents Joseph sold by his brethren; that in the middle; the funeral of Jacob; and the upper one Jesus-Christ on the cross. To the right and left of the porch, are several large statues, which are more or less mutilated, and a profusion of bas-reliefs, most of which represent the history of Joseph.
The facade of this porch, like that of the booksellers, is accompanied by two square towers of handsome proportions, and having large pointed windows.
On the tower which still exists in the centre, there was formerly a handsome pyramid of three hundred and ninety six feet in height, a monument of the talents of Robert Becquet and of the liberality of cardinal d'Amboise, the second of the name. It was commenced in the month of june 1542, and terminated in the month of august 1544.
This beautiful pyramid was destroyed by fire, on the 15th of september 1822; at seven o'clock in the morning it had already fallen; two hours after, the roof of the choir, that of the transept and the third part of the roof of the nave, had equally fallen in. The melted lead of the roof was bought by M. Firmin Didot and converted into types for printing.
We cannot give too many praises to the zeal of M. de Vansay, prefect of the department at that time: the misfortune happened on the 15th september, and already on the 26th of the same month, the government having been informed and solicited by that magistrate, ordered M. Alavoine, one of the best architects, to go to Rouen, and confer with the prefect on the means of remedying the havoc caused by the fire. Early in the year 1823, the roofs of a aisles had already been repaired; and a portion of the nave had been covered with lead, by the 15th march of the same year. The roofs of the choir and of the whole transept, were also soon repaired; but, for these parts, a copper covering was preferred as being more solid and less liable to be destroyed. The raising and renewing the lantern was terminated in 1829.
From this new platform, the pyramid will rise majestically in the air, and of it we already discover thirteen floors (the pyramid will be completed with one more), each of four metres fifty centimetres, that is to say a height of fifty eight metres, or about one hundred and eighty feet. The spire of the church was first erected of stone but was overthrown by the electric fluid, after that, it was twice built of wood, and both times it became the prey of the flames; to rebuild it with wood would have been gathering materials for a third fire, but now it is made of cast iron and in open work. At the summit of the spire, there will be a small lantern surrounded by a gallery for the purpose of meteorological observations. The total weight of the spire when completed, will be 600,000 kilogrammes, or about 1,200,000 pounds. It is composed of 2,540 pieces, not including 12,879 iron pins[13]. Lastly, this magnificent pyramid will reach an elevation of 436 feet; that is to say 40 feet higher than the former, and will only be 13 feet less than the highest pyramid of Egypt[14].
SAINT-OUEN.
The abbey of Saint-Ouen, is the most ancient, in Rouen and in the whole province of Normandy.
