Caudebec-en-Caux Church, Caudebec-en-Caux, France

Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, King Henry IV of France is said to have declared the church of Caudebec-en-Caux to have been the most beautiful chapel in his kingdom. The fact that it does not have a transept may explain why the king referred to it as a chapel not a church. Typical of the Flamboyant Gothic style, the highlight of this church is the finely decorated west portal. In all there are 333 sculptured human figures, representing saints and aspects of daily life. Of particular interest is the figure playing an old Norman musical instrument – the Loure, a kind of bag-pipe that is no longer played in Normandy. Sadly, much of this decoration was destroyed by the Calvinists during the Religious wars and then again later during World War Two, but it has since been restored.

Around the edge of the roof, and engraved in Gothic calligraphy is one of the verses of the Magnificat, also known as the Song of Mary and one of the oldest of the Christian hymns. Stained-glass windows date to the 15th and 16th centuries.

References:

Archaeology Travel

User Reviews

bruce susel (9 months ago)
Beautiful and historic

Bruce Susel (9 months ago)
Beautiful church and historic site

Orkinitsu (2 years ago)
Magnificent church located in the heart of the village on the banks of the Seine, a must-see!

catherine denicola (2 years ago)
Superb Gothic style building (the foundations being much older) with stained glass windows from the 15th and 16th centuries (some others dating from the 19th or even the 20th). Very beautiful organ.

victor davis (2 years ago)
Did a quick through a lot of sculpture at other things inside to see

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright w_lemay

Historic Site of the week

Temple of Edfu

The Temple of Edfu is one of the best preserved ancient shrines in Egypt. It was built in the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 237 and 57 BC.

Edfu was one of several temples built during the Ptolemaic Kingdom, including the Dendera Temple complex, Esna, the Temple of Kom Ombo, and Philae. Its size reflects the relative prosperity of the time. The present temple initially consisted of a pillared hall, two transverse halls, and a barque sanctuary surrounded by chapels. The building was started during the reign of Ptolemy III Euergetes and completed in 57 BC under Ptolemy XII Auletes. It was built on the site of an earlier, smaller temple also dedicated to Horus, although the previous structure was oriented east–west rather than north–south as in the present site.

Caudebec-en-Caux Church

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Temple of Edfu