St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church
Encyclopedia
The St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church of Paris
sheltered one of the most famous dynasties of French musicians, the Couperin
family, for more than two centuries, beginning in 1653.
On one side of the church, the house of the famous harpsichord
ists, organ
ists, and composers still stands; a plaque commemorates the Couperins' tenure in this place. The organ used by Louis
and François Couperin
still exists today inside the church. Built by the most famous organ builder
s of the time—-François-Henri Clicquot
, Louis-Alexandre Clicquot, and Robert Clicquot
-—it is a fine example of the French baroque style.
, the church was formerly the seat of the powerful brotherhood of wine merchants. It assumed its present appearance in the 16th century. Its façade was completed much later, however, about 1620.
The present church was begun in the Gothic style in 1494, the chapels of the apse were finished in 1530 and the transept in 1578. The doorway of the church was built in 1616-1620 by Claude Monnard in the classical style. Between 1600 and 1628, a second row of chapels was built on the north side including the golden chapel ornamented with painted woodwork.
The facade presents an exceptional feature, with column of the 3 orders
: doric
at the ground floor, ionic
at the second floor, corinthian
at the third floor.
, grew at its center. The inhabitants of the neighborhood would exchange money there. Several ancient pictures of this elm still remain, in the stalls of the church, and on some nearby buildings.
", fell on the church, killing 88 people and wounding 68 others; the explosion collapsed the roof when a Good Friday
service was in progress. This was the worst single incident involving a loss of civilian lives during the German bombardment of Paris in 1918.
It is served by lines 1, 7, and 11.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
sheltered one of the most famous dynasties of French musicians, the Couperin
Couperin
The Couperin family were a musical dynasty of professional composers and performers. They were the most prolific family in French musical history, active during the Baroque era...
family, for more than two centuries, beginning in 1653.
On one side of the church, the house of the famous harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
ists, organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
ists, and composers still stands; a plaque commemorates the Couperins' tenure in this place. The organ used by Louis
Louis Couperin
Louis Couperin was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–51 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of the Church of St. Gervais in Paris and as musician at the court...
and François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
still exists today inside the church. Built by the most famous organ builder
Organ builder
-Australia:* William Anderson * Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd* Robert Cecil Clifton * William Davidson* J.E. Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works* Fincham & Hobday* Geo. Fincham & Son* Alfred Fuller * Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd...
s of the time—-François-Henri Clicquot
François-Henri Clicquot
François-Henri Clicquot was a French organ builder and was the grandson of Robert Clicquot and son of Louis-Alexandre Cliquot, who were also noted organ builders. The Clicquot firm installed the first noteworthy organ in the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris...
, Louis-Alexandre Clicquot, and Robert Clicquot
Robert Clicquot
Robert Clicquot was a French organ builder from Paris. His most notable organs are in the Chapel of the Palace of Versailles, the churches of Saint-Quentin and Saint-Louis des Invalides in Paris and Rouen Cathedral....
-—it is a fine example of the French baroque style.
History
This church is one of the oldest in Paris. Its existence at this place is mentioned as early as the fourth century. Dedicated to Gervasius and ProtasiusGervasius and Protasius
Saints Gervasius and Protasius are venerated as Christian martyrs, probably of the 2nd century....
, the church was formerly the seat of the powerful brotherhood of wine merchants. It assumed its present appearance in the 16th century. Its façade was completed much later, however, about 1620.
The present church was begun in the Gothic style in 1494, the chapels of the apse were finished in 1530 and the transept in 1578. The doorway of the church was built in 1616-1620 by Claude Monnard in the classical style. Between 1600 and 1628, a second row of chapels was built on the north side including the golden chapel ornamented with painted woodwork.
The facade presents an exceptional feature, with column of the 3 orders
Classical order
A classical order is one of the ancient styles of classical architecture, each distinguished by its proportions and characteristic profiles and details, and most readily recognizable by the type of column employed. Three ancient orders of architecture—the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—originated in...
: doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
at the ground floor, ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
at the second floor, corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
at the third floor.
The crossroads of the elm
The square, Place Saint-Gervais, located at the foot of the steps outside the church, was, for a long time, called the Crossroads of the Elm. Since the Middle Ages, a venerable monarch of an elmElm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
, grew at its center. The inhabitants of the neighborhood would exchange money there. Several ancient pictures of this elm still remain, in the stalls of the church, and on some nearby buildings.
Medieval houses
One side of the church is skirted by the Rue François Miron, where two of the oldest medieval houses of Paris survive, at numbers 11 and 13. They date, most likely, from the 14th century. One can see the exposed wood of the half-timbered structures.A wartime tragedy
On 29 March 1918, a German shell, fired by the long-range "Paris GunParis Gun
The Paris Gun was a German long-range siege gun used to bombard Paris during World War I. It was in service from March-August 1918. When it was first employed, Parisians believed they'd been bombed by a new type of high-altitude zeppelin, as neither the sound of an airplane nor a gun could be heard...
", fell on the church, killing 88 people and wounding 68 others; the explosion collapsed the roof when a Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
service was in progress. This was the worst single incident involving a loss of civilian lives during the German bombardment of Paris in 1918.
Metropolitain
The St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church is:It is served by lines 1, 7, and 11.