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Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois Church, Paris

The church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois is an important medieval French church in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, facing the colonnade of the Louvre. Built mainly in the fifteenth century, it retains Romanesque features in the south tower and sixteenth-century stained glass. Inside, notable features include the monumental set of carved wooden choir stalls made in 1684 for Louis XIV and the royal family, a Flemish altarpiece from around 1515, and numerous chapels with paintings and sculptures. The church was the parish of the kings of France and of the artists who worked at the Louvre, and its bell, 'Marie', rang out on the night of 23 August 1572, a signal associated with the start of the St Bartholomew's Day massacre. Since 2019, following the fire at Notre-Dame, it has hosted the cathedral's services and celebrations. Outside, the façade features a Flamboyant Gothic porch from 1435–1439 and nineteenth-century statues; on Rue de l'Arbre Sec a frieze in the shape of carp survives, and on a buttress near the town hall stands the 'Boule aux Rats', a sculpture unique in Paris.

Things to do at Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois Church, Paris: 26 missions

• Take in the six recumbent statuesSee these six statues lying atop demons and other figures, depicting King Childebert I, his wife Queen Ultrogotha, and Saint Genevieve holding a torch.
• Visit the Chapel of the SepulchreDiscover one of the church's oldest chapels.
• Walk through the church's choirNotice that the choir is unusually longer than the nave.
• See the statue of Christ beneath the altarTake in this statue of uncertain origin, probably from the 16th century.
• See the polychrome wooden statue of Saint-Germain l'AuxerroisTake in this 15th-century polychrome wooden statue in the north transept.
• Take in the stained glass of the south transeptSee the 16th- and 19th-century stained glass in the south transept.
• Take in the carved Flemish altarpieceTake in the carved Flemish altarpiece, one of the church's standout works, made around 1515 in Antwerp.
• Walk the ambulatoryWalk the passage that runs around the church and leads to the chapels.
• Take in "The Coronation of the Virgin"See this fresco painting by the 19th-century artist Eugène Amaury-Duval.
• Admire the rose windowTake in the rose window and the balustrade by Jean Gaussel that surrounds it, from 1435-39.
• Walk the church's long central naveSee the long central nave, built in the 15th century, along with the choir, transept and side aisles.
• See the statue of Saint Mary of EgyptTake in this statue from the late 15th or early 16th century.
• Admire the monumental set of carved wooden seatingTake in the monumental set of carved wooden seating, created in 1684 for Louis XIV and the royal family.
• See the church's north transeptTake in the north transept, which retains most of its original 16th-century stained glass and 19th-century windows.
• See the organSee the church's organ, of which nothing remains from the original instrument built before the Revolution.
• Discover the tombs of notable artistsDiscover the tombs of notable artists who helped decorate the nearby Louvre during the 17th and 18th centuries.
• Visit the Lady ChapelFind this chapel near the entrance, in the south side aisle.
• Discover the 'Boule aux Rats' (Ball of Rats)Take in the 'Boule aux Rats' (Ball of Rats), the only one in Paris and one of just four still surviving in France.
• Look at the 19th-century statues on the west frontTake in these 19th-century statues depicting French saints, including Saint Germanus and Saint Clotilde.
• Look at the church's bell towerTake in the original bell tower, whose lower sections are the only Romanesque elements remaining in the church.
• Look at the five-bayed Flamboyant Gothic porchTake in this Flamboyant Gothic porch, built between 1435 and 1439 by Jean Gaussel.
• Discover the "carps of the Church of Saint-Germains l'Auxerrois"Look at this curiosity that the church offers on rue de l'Arbre Sec.
• Take in the west portalLook at this portal, built around 1220-1230.
• Examine the arches above the doorLook at the late-14th-century sculpture on the arches, with apostles, angels, the damned and the elect, and wise and foolish virgins.
• Take in the church's side facadeLook at the side facade, richly adorned with sculptures such as pinnacles and gargoyles.
• Take in the church's north towerLook at the north tower, added around 1860 and adjoining the 1st arrondissement town hall.

Near Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois Church, Paris

Source: saintgermainlauxerrois.fr