点评:Rouen Cathedral has been built and rebuilt over 800 years in the various Gothic style. Once the tallest building in the world, the cathedral is 495 feel tall and its 19th century cast iron spire is the highest spire in France. It is fondly referred to as the Notre Dame of Rouen. It is the fourth largest building in the world. The exterior with its intricate façade and carvings makes it one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in all of France. The cathedral has been bombed, burned, and rebuilt over may centuries and is continually renovated even today. The façade with its intricate design looks like a lace blanket. Its pointed arches and flying buttresses add to the exterior’s beauty.
Take note of the three mismatched towers: St. Romain, the Butter and the Lantern and Spire. The. St. Romain is located on the left side of the western facade, is square and houses a carillon containing 64 bells. The Butter Tower has an interesting story. During Lent, Catholics were not allowed to eat butter. However, if you were wealthy, you were able to buy indulgences which dispensed you from the rule and allowed one to eat butter during Lent. Monies received were used to fund building of the tower. The Lantern and Spire tower is 490+ feet tall making it the tallest church spire in France.
The interior is as magnificent as the exterior. As you enter the 449-foot nave, your eyes are drawn to the tall, intricately carved columns, the stained glass windows, and domed ceilings. There are over 15 side chapels with the main one dedicated to the Virgin Mary and another one to Joan of Arc. A beautiful Gothic stairway, built to reach the library during the 15th century is straight rather than the traditional curved ones. Used by the clergy, the library is on the second floor. Many cathedrals have several statues of saints, but the Rouen Cathedral has only a few. However, along an interior walkway are rows of statues removed from the exterior façade and brought inside to avoid further erosion and crumbling caused by conflicts, weather and time. These were replaced on the exterior with copies.
Some interesting information from our guide:
• Medieval traditions required separating royal remains. Richard the Lionheart’s crypt houses his heart. His body is interred in Anjou, France near his father Henry II. His inner organs were buried in Chalus-Chabrol
• Claude Monet, the French Impressionist painter, painted the cathedral’s façade over 30 times in the 1890s. It is said he was fascinated with the façade’s lacy pattern and shadowy niches. Monet painted in different light and seasons.
• Its 19th-century cast-iron spire is the highest church spire in France standing at 495 feet.
• The Saint-Romain Tower carillon has 64 bells. The largest bell weighs approximately 9.5 tons and is named Joan of Arc.
• Rollo, the Duke of Normandy, tomb is in the Cathedral.
• Its official name is Primatial Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Rouen.
Highly recommend a visit.
翻译:鲁昂大教堂历经800多年,以各种哥特式风格不断修建与重建。它曾是世界最高的建筑,如今高度达495英尺;其19世纪建造的铸铁尖塔则是法国最高的尖塔。人们亲切地称它为“鲁昂的巴黎圣母院”。它也是世界上第四高的建筑。其外观拥有错综复杂的立面与雕刻,堪称整个法国最精美的哥特式大教堂之一。这座大教堂曾遭受轰炸与火灾。这座建筑历经数个世纪的重建与修缮,至今仍在不断翻新。其外观有着极为复杂的装饰图案,看上去就像一条蕾丝毯子。尖拱与飞扶壁更是增添了建筑外观的美感。
请注意那三座风格迥异的塔楼:圣罗曼塔、黄油塔以及灯笼尖塔。圣罗曼塔位于西立面的左侧,呈方形结构,塔内设有一套由64个钟组成的钟琴。黄油塔则有个有趣的传说:在四旬斋期间……天主教徒不被允许食用黄油。不过,如果家境富裕,便可以购买“赎罪券”来免除这一禁令,从而在四旬斋期间享用黄油。所得款项则被用于建造这座塔楼。灯笼与尖塔的高度超过490英尺,是法国最高的教堂尖塔。
教堂内部同样宏伟华丽。步入长达449英尺的中殿后,人们的目光立刻会被那些高大且雕刻精美的柱子所吸引。彩绘玻璃窗以及圆顶天花板。这里有15个以上的侧礼拜堂,其中主礼拜堂供奉着圣母玛利亚,另一个则供奉着圣女贞德。15世纪时为通往图书馆而修建的哥特式楼梯呈直线形,这与传统的弧形楼梯截然不同。这座图书馆供神职人员使用,位于二楼。许多大教堂里都有多尊圣人雕像,但鲁昂大教堂里的则寥寥无几。不过,在内部通道上,排列着一排排从外部立面上拆下来的雕像。这些雕像被移入室内,以防止因战争、天气变化及时间流逝而遭到进一步的侵蚀和损坏。后来,人们用复制品替换了这些雕像。
来自导游的一些有趣信息:
• 中世纪的惯例要求将国王的遗体分开安葬。狮心王理查的墓穴中只安放着他的心脏,而他的遗体则被安葬在法国安茹地区,与他父亲亨利二世葬在了一起。他的内脏被埋葬在查卢斯-沙布罗尔。
• 法国印象派画家克劳德·莫奈在19世纪90年代曾30多次描绘这座大教堂的立面。据说他痴迷于其精致如蕾丝般的图案以及昏暗的壁龛。莫奈在不同光线与季节下进行了创作。
• 这座教堂那建于19世纪的铸铁尖塔是法国最高的教堂尖塔,高度达495英尺。
• 圣罗曼塔楼的排钟共有64口钟,其中最大的一口钟重约9吨。重达5吨,名为“圣女贞德”。
• 诺曼底公爵罗洛的墓也位于这座大教堂内。
• 它的正式名称是“鲁昂圣母主教座堂”。
强烈推荐前往参观。