Day 63- 17 October 2008
Today i jumped on the train and headed for Cite a small island on the seine which is most well known for a particular gothic church made famous by Victor Hugo- but more about that later).
My first stop was Sainte - Chapelle, a gem of gothic architecture which lies in the centre of the Ile de la Cite (now the Palace de Justice). The Sainte Chapelle was buiolt in 1242 and was to house the relics of the Passion of Christ (the most famous the crown of thorns worn by jesus). There are two chapels the lower chapel and the upper chapel (which obviously is above the lower chapel). Each side of the upper chapel has stained galss windows which total 1,113 scenes which tell the story of mankind from Genesis to christs resurrection. There is at one end a giant rose (round stained glass window) which is simple magnificent. The light shines through the glass and is just amazing.
From here i took a stroll around the island and ended up at Notre Dame (yes that famous gothic church). The church is impressive on the outside with its creatures, monsters, gargoyles in stone hovering above from the top of the church. The church was built in 1163 and took about 200 years to complete. There are two very large impressive rose (round) stained glass windows on either side of the alter and lots more stained glass which in one part, the light shines through and lights up a memorial tomb with specs of coloured light which was most impressive. After my visit i joined the que and finally got to climb the 400 or so steps 60 or so metres to the top of the tower. 400 is a lot of steps ! Upon reaching the top you have a magnificent view of paris including great views of the Eiffle Tower and Sacre Cour in the distance and of the Sein right by the footsteps of the church.
From here i walked around the area (which has about 150 souvenier shops) and then headed by train to the Paris Catacombes. You start the tour by going down stairs to a deptch of 20 metres well below the streets, metro subway, water and severage. Then after a 500 metre walk through a small relatively dark tunnel you reach some small caverns which house some stone sculptures made by one of the quarry man. These sculptures include the Port Mahon Fortress. Further along there is a small well and then the entrance to the ossuary (quasi cemetary). What follows is an extraordinary 780 metres of tunnels which are lined on either side by bones, skulls which are about 6 million people worth. The first bones arrived in 1786 and were thrown into a heap. Ini 1810, the site was renovated and teh long bones (arms and legs) and skulls were arranged in neat rows to provide a wall behind which the rest of the bones were piled in a jumble. This is what is still there today. In different sections the bones and skulls are arrange strangely (for example as a love heart, chappel and cross, barrell etc). Although this is highly interesting, it was dark there was a minor foul stench of death and water dripped on you from the roofs. The most interesting thing about the place was the security guards at the exit looking through bags to make sure you had not stolen any bones or skulls !! Quite distrubing that people would touch them let alone steal them...
From there i got the metro back to my hostel and then with a guy from the hostel went to the Parc des buttes chaumont.
Day 63- 17 October 2008
Today i jumped on the train and headed for Cite a small island on the seine which is most well known for a particular gothic church made famous by Victor Hugo- but more about that later).
My first stop was Sainte - Chapelle, a gem of gothic architecture which lies in the centre of the Ile de la Cite (now the Palace de Justice). The Sainte Chapelle was buiolt in 1242 and was to house the relics of the Passion of Christ (the most famous the crown of thorns worn by jesus). There are two chapels the lower chapel and the upper chapel (which obviously is above the lower chapel). Each side of the upper chapel has stained galss windows which total 1,113 scenes which tell the story of mankind from Genesis to christs resurrection. There is at one end a giant rose (round stained glass window) which is simple magnificent. The light shines through the glass and is just amazing.
From here i took a stroll around the island and ended up at Notre Dame (yes that famous gothic church). The church is impressive on the outside with its creatures, monsters, gargoyles in stone hovering above from the top of the church. The church was built in 1163 and took about 200 years to complete. There are two very large impressive rose (round) stained glass windows on either side of the alter and lots more stained glass which in one part, the light shines through and lights up a memorial tomb with specs of coloured light which was most impressive. After my visit i joined the que and finally got to climb the 400 or so steps 60 or so metres to the top of the tower. 400 is a lot of steps ! Upon reaching the top you have a magnificent view of paris including great views of the Eiffle Tower and Sacre Cour in the distance and of the Sein right by the footsteps of the church.
From here i walked around the area (which has about 150 souvenier shops) and then headed by train to the Paris Catacombes. You start the tour by going down stairs to a deptch of 20 metres well below the streets, metro subway, water and severage. Then after a 500 metre walk through a small relatively dark tunnel you reach some small caverns which house some stone sculptures made by one of the quarry man. These sculptures include the Port Mahon Fortress. Further along there is a small well and then the entrance to the ossuary (quasi cemetary). What follows is an extraordinary 780 metres of tunnels which are lined on either side by bones, skulls which are about 6 million people worth. The first bones arrived in 1786 and were thrown into a heap. Ini 1810, the site was renovated and teh long bones (arms and legs) and skulls were arranged in neat rows to provide a wall behind which the rest of the bones were piled in a jumble. This is what is still there today. In different sections the bones and skulls are arrange strangely (for example as a love heart, chappel and cross, barrell etc). Although this is highly interesting, it was dark there was a minor foul stench of death and water dripped on you from the roofs. The most interesting thing about the place was the security guards at the exit looking through bags to make sure you had not stolen any bones or skulls !! Quite distrubing that people would touch them let alone steal them...
From there i got the metro back to my hostel and then with a guy from the hostel went to the Parc des buttes chaumont.
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