Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Près
PARIS-GP

Building Data for Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Près

  •  
  • Type: Abbey
  • Affiliation: Benedictine
  •  
  • Region: Ile-de-France
  • Department: Paris
  • Coords: 48.853, 2.3345
  •  
  • Surveyed: 1969, 1972-74, 1977, 1980-83, 1992-98, 2004, 2009, 2014

Map

Virtual Tour

Studies These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.
X

These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.

Timeline and building units for Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Près A 'building unit' is an arbitrary unit of work based on bulk billing techniques used by quantity surveyors. The unit is small enough to provide realistic figures in the small churches without becoming too huge in the large. Six units would pay for one small vaulted bay in an aisle about 3 metres square, or a small first-floor gallery. Such a bay would consist of an external wall with a small window, half of two columns about 3 meters tall, the floor and footings under them and the vault and roof overhead.
X

A 'building unit' is an arbitrary unit of work based on bulk billing techniques used by quantity surveyors. The unit is small enough to provide realistic figures in the small churches without becoming too huge in the large. Six units would pay for one small vaulted bay in an aisle about 3 metres square, or a small first-floor gallery. Such a bay would consist of an external wall with a small window, half of two columns about 3 meters tall, the floor and footings under them and the vault and roof overhead.

info

gray gray 145
1080		 48
1090		 gray 8
1120		 288
1130		 170
1140		 278
1150		 gray 53
1210		 65
1220		 gray
1050 1080s 1090s 1120s 1130s 1140s 1150s 1210s 1220s 1250

Phases for Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Près The building sequence is based on my on-site analysis of the construction history, using the techniques developed on the cathedral of Chartres called toichology, and described in a number of publications. The analysis of some of the smaller churches are more approximate than I would like, and need further analysis. <p>I have used 'phase' rather than 'campaign' to to identify a contiguous zone with similar elements. A campaign would be defined by recognisable breaks and construction joints in the fabric: there may be a number of phases within a campaign. One benefit is that separate programs by subcontractors, such as carvers, may be isolated, which is particularly useful in complex sections, such as portals. <p>Every phase has been assigned to a decade, so there may be more than one phase in a decade. <p>While this is certainly imperfect, it will allow us to explore all the data, including costs, across time. This is an on-going process, so as the data continues to be analyzed, the chronology and costing analysis will be further refined, and the synopsis updated. <p>Clicking on any of the decade graphics will display all buildings that had work being done during that decade.
X

The building sequence is based on my on-site analysis of the construction history, using the techniques developed on the cathedral of Chartres called toichology, and described in a number of publications. The analysis of some of the smaller churches are more approximate than I would like, and need further analysis.

I have used 'phase' rather than 'campaign' to to identify a contiguous zone with similar elements. A campaign would be defined by recognisable breaks and construction joints in the fabric: there may be a number of phases within a campaign. One benefit is that separate programs by subcontractors, such as carvers, may be isolated, which is particularly useful in complex sections, such as portals.

Every phase has been assigned to a decade, so there may be more than one phase in a decade.

While this is certainly imperfect, it will allow us to explore all the data, including costs, across time. This is an on-going process, so as the data continues to be analyzed, the chronology and costing analysis will be further refined, and the synopsis updated.

Clicking on any of the decade graphics will display all buildings that had work being done during that decade.

Short version of history

Earlier

Phase 1 - Earlier


Narthex and arched entry and unadorned tower I-III, crossing and apse.
1080

Phase 2 - 1080 [1087] - nave (a) - 145 Units


Nave aisles and arcades butt up against crossing without provision for ribs; some of these capitals are in the Cluny museum, Paris, and show that some restorations were quite diligently copies of the original, but not all.
1090

Phase 3 - 1090 - crossing (b) 1 - 26 Units


Crossing piers both east and west including provisions for rib vaults to the crossing and the nave; as this campaign was only on the aisle side of the piers suggests that the older apse was still in place and this was wrapped around the outside.
1090

Phase 4 - 1090 [1092] - tower IV - 22 Units


Tower IV
1120

Phase 5 - 1120 - crossing (b) 2 - 8 Units


Paired shafts for east side of a smaller crossing, built within the earlier shafts.
1130

Phase 6 - 1130 [1138] - nave (c) - 90 Units


Nave clerestory with some capitals recarved in the designs of contemporary carvers
1130

Phase 7 - 1130 - crossing (b) 3 - 28 Units


Crossing pier on the southwest not designed for ribs and vault completed in a number of campaigns
1130

Phase 8 - 1130 [1138] - portal - 85 Units


West portal sculpture inserted into older tower entry presumably in time to make a nobler entry into the nave, which is where services had to be held while the choir was being rebuilt.
1130

Phase 9 - 1130 [1139] - ambulatory (d) - 85 Units


Choir ambulatory and dado arcade.
1140

Phase 10 - 1140 [1141] - choir piers (a) - 85 Units


Choir piers, start of arcade arches.
1140

Phase 11 - 1140 [1142] - ambulatory (a) - 85 Units


Choir wall capitals, vaults
1150

Phase 12 - 1150 - choir (t) - 80 Units


Choir triforium
1150

Phase 13 - 1150 - choir (c) - 146 Units


Choir clerestory.
1150

Phase 14 - 1150 [1159] - choir (v)1 - 52 Units


Hemicycle vault and flyers.
1210

Phase 15 - 1210 - nave (v) - 53 Units


Nave vaults.
1220

Phase 16 - 1220 - nave (v)w - 65 Units


Completion of remaining choir vaults.
Later

Phase 17 - Later


Choir gallery reduced in height and windows enlarged.