Description of the attraction
Saint-Germain-l'Auxeroy Church is located in the very center of Paris, near the east wing of the Louvre. It was named after Saint Herman of Auxerre, bishop of the Gallo-Roman era, one of the most revered saints in France.
The very first church on this site was destroyed during the Great Siege of Paris by the Vikings in 885-886. However, the foundation remained - new construction began on it in the 11th century. In the XII century, the building underwent a major restructuring - it is from this time that the history of the today's temple is counted. The western portal was erected in the years 1220-1230, the choir stalls and the chapel of the Virgin Mary were built in the 14th century, the transept and another chapel in the 16th century. Around 1580, the centuries-old reconstruction of the building was completed. The stone statues at the gates and the gates themselves were restored already in the 19th century.
That is why the church is an impressive mixture of styles: the base of the bell tower is Romanesque, the choir and the central portal are early Gothic, the western portal and the central nave are in the style of flaming Gothic, the side portal is Renaissance. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Paris.
Inside you can see the pulpit and benches from the mid-17th century, as well as magnificent stained-glass windows from the 16th century.
The church was a parish for the Valois dynasty in the days when the Louvre was still a royal palace. A very unusual mission was also entrusted to her: most of the artists and sculptors who once decorated the Louvre are buried here.
There is a tragic date in the history of the church: on August 24, 1572, it was from the bell tower of Saint-Germain-l'Auxeroy that the ringing of bells sent the signal for the extermination of the Huguenots invited to the marriage of Henry of Navarre with Marguerite de Valois. The bell ringing became a sign of the beginning of St. Bartholomew's Night, during which up to 30 thousand people died.
During the revolution, the church was plundered, the building was used as a food warehouse and a police station. In 1802, the temple was restored, but in 1831, during the riots, it was again desecrated. In 1837 the church was reopened, this time finally.
