6.2.09

Notre-Dame de Travail


Just behind the “Modern Montparnasse” (see post last Wednesday), it’s suddenly as if you returned to an earlier century.

Hardly any cars, a small park - Square Cardinal Wyszynski -, some old buildings ... and especially a surprising church, Notre-Dame de Travail, a name which you could possibly translate to the workers’ Notre-Dame. This church was built 1899-1901 and looks rather ordinary outside with its some kind of roman style, but the inside is quite particular, all in metal – iron and steel. It seems that it was especially intended to welcome guest workers who often were lodged in the neighbourhood. They would feel “like home” (or perhaps rather in their working environment). Anyhow, I felt a very simple and special beauty when I entered. (For photos, some more light would have been nice, but I didn’t find the button.)

The church is one of the three or four Paris churches which also offer masses in Portuguese.

The bell comes from Sebastopol and was brought to France as a trophy after the Crimean War (1853-56).

I wish you a nice weekend!

52 comments:

Karen said...

What an interesting church.. iron and steel? How unusual.. Something else to put on my list for the next visit to Paris.

Great photos as usual..

Shionge said...

Wishing you a superb weekend too Peter :D

Catherine said...

Combien de fois suis je passée devant cette église ! Je n'aurais jamais pensé qu'elle soit montée sur des poutrelles en fer à l'intérieur. Merci d'avoir poussé la porte Peter.

alice said...

Voilà une horloge qui a fait un long voyage! Rigolote aussi cette rangée de cloches sur le toit...La prochaine fois que mon train arrivera en gare, j'essaierai d'apercevoir cette église. Bon week end!

Olivier said...

l'intérieur est vraiment surprenant pour une église. Belle et bonne utilisation du fer.Merci pour cette decouverte

PeterParis said...

Avant de commenter autre chose: Alice a parlé de la horloge. J'ai fait une erreur dans mon text. J'avais écrit "clock". Je viens de corriger à "bell". Désolé!

Cergie said...

Superbe, superbe ! Beaucoup plus belle inside than outside ! Il FAUT que j'y aille
Elle me rappelle la station de métro de la gare de Lyon.


PS : Notre Dame DU travail, c'est pas la protectrice des accouchées plutôt ?

SusuPetal said...

Looks like a peaceful place. I'd like to be there.

Have a nice weekend, Peter.

Claudia said...

Such an amazing space! Complete surprise, I had never heard of it.

Have a nice weekend, Peter!

Claudia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
claude said...

Quand on la voie de l'extérieur, on ne s'imagine pas comment elle est à l'intérieur. Très curieux.
Elle me fait penser à la Cathédrale de Fort-de-France, qui après avoir été par des tremblements de terre a été rebâtie avec une ossature métallique.

Anonymous said...

Cergie m'a piqué mon commentaire. C'est vrai qu'en regardant les photos de l'intérieur de l'église, on a un peu l'impression d'être dans la même armature que celle qui existe dans la gare de Lyon. Tiens, n'y aurait-il pas une station de métro pas loin qui s'appelle aussi "notre dame"? c'est à cause de cette église?

Je vois que ton post est court aujourd'hui. C'est certainement la fin de la semaine, tu es fatigué. :-))

hpy said...

J'ai l'impression d'être passé devant cette église plus d'une fois, sans jamais penser à me demander comment elle est çà l'intérieur. Pas très ordinaire, en tout cas.

Ruth said...

As I was oohing and ahing over this church and said "wow, an iron and steel church . . . " my husband, reading the paper, said "there are two iron churches in the world: Paris and Istanbul."

I said, "oh!"

Anonymous said...

I hope you have a nice weekend too, Peter. Nice shots as usual.

Anonymous said...

You have introduced me to another place I didn't know about. Looks lovely.
Bon week end.

krystyna said...

I am so glad to see and read about the famous church - Notre-Dame de Travail.
I didn't know that near there, there is Cardinal Wyszynski Square./polish cardinal/
Thank you for sharing.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Anonymous said...

super on a la même à Manille

Kate said...

One of the many wonders of Paris is its rich history of churches. My question, Peter, is where do you do your research and how long does it take on average to gather the material for your photos. I am most impressed and love what you are doing. Obviously, I am not alone since you have many fans.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting. It looks more like a factory than a church. I like this kind of architecture.

Anonymous said...

Steel and ironwork. It reminds me of the great railway stations, and how they were in turn called the Cathedrals of the Industrial Revolution

Jessica said...

I love the iron and steel arches and butressing! You'd think iron and steel would be incongruous with a church but it works. And it's beautiful. Thanks for posting such wonderful pictures.

Thérèse said...

Mr Astruc a du bien sur s'inspirer de Mr Eiffel mais il a eu la bonne idée de mettre l'acier à l'intérieur pour avoir moins de problème avec la rouille et les frais de peinture...
Bon week-end!

Unknown said...

I've never seen so much metal inside a church! Truly amazing!

Have a nice weekend too! Mine will be wet... again! Ok, ok, I will complain no more! Lol!

Azer Mantessa said...

the internal setup is somewhat different ... more space and a lot more simpler. the somewhat "verandah" is interesting. i think it is unique.

alice said...

En lisant "clock", en bonne francophone, j'avais pensé "cloche". Et je me suis tout de suite dit "mais non, la cloche c'est toi, Peter veut parler d'une horloge qu'on ne voit pas très bien sur ses photos..."Ce sont donc bien les cloches qui ont fait ce long voyage! Bon weekend, cher Peter.

PeterParis said...

Karen:
Prepare for a new long stay!

Shionge:
Same to you!

Catherine:
Ca vaut souvent la peine de pousser des portes!

PeterParis said...

Alice:
Ton commentaire m'a fait trouver une erreur dans mon texte! Merci! J'ai corrigé.

Olivier:
Il faut regarder à auche et à droite ... et pousser quelques portes!

Cergie:
Il est évident qu'on a voulu "imiter" les conceptions de l'architecture de la fin du 18è siéle. Pour l'interpretation de "travail"... :-))

PeterParis said...

SusuPetal:
There are peaceful places also in Helsinki! But, you know the doors are alauys open for you here in Paris! Nice weekend also to you!

Claudia:
Indeed, it's a surprising place and a bit hidden. Nice weekend also to you!

Claude:
Oui, il semble que cette église ne soit pas complètement unique. Unique à Paris, oui, je crois!

PeterParis said...

Delphinium:
Si tu veux commenter avant Cergie, il faut commenter de bonne heure!

Il y a en effet une station Notre-Dame-des-Champs qui n'est pas loin, mais il est nommé après un autre église. On trouve environ 300 station de métro à Paris et presque autant d'églises!

Non, je ne suis pas fatigué, mais je pense à mes lecteurs et surtout à certaines lectrices! :-))

HPY:
Tu n'étais pas encore blogguese et pas assez curieuse!

Ruth:
Reading the comments here, I believe that there are a few more "metal churches" around the world. We have to make some research work! :-))

PeterParis said...

Abraham:
The same to you! Carpe Diem! :-)

Mo:
You can't know any place in any city! You have to concentrate on London now (but are of course always welcome to Paris)!

Krystyna:
I immediately thought about you (and your blogging mother), when I found the name of the square!
Nice weekend also to you!

PeterParis said...

April:
Yes, I think this was obviously the intention. It reminds also of many of the important constructions during the turn of the centuries, where the workers who were welcomed to this church were busy!

Richard:
Yes ... and this was obviously the wish of the architect and the initiators to this church building!

Jessica:
I agree; it's really beautiful in its simplicity!

PeterParis said...

Lasiate:
La liste s'allonge!

Kate:
Dear "fan club member", :-) I have no good answer to your question. Yes, sometimes it takes time, but normally I have quite a lot of time and I do this also for my own pleasure. I believe that what takes most time though, is to select photos; I take so (too) many!

PeterParis said...

Thérèse:
Très juste comme remarques! :-))

JM:
I can see that you read my comment on your blog! :-)

Azer:
I believe ou are right; it's certainly not so common!

PeterParis said...

Alice:
Encore une fois, je demande pardon pour ma faute et merci de ton commentaire qui m'a permis de la découvrir! Je pense que c'est uniquement la grande cloche qui vient de Sébastopol. Non week-end Alice!

Tanya Breese said...

So incredible...it must be an amazing feeling to step inside such an awesome place!
Have a wonderful weekend Peter :)
Come visit me today, I learned a new trick because of you,lol

GMG said...

Hi Peter! Amazing church! Notre Dame du Travail; no wonder it's one of the few with masses in Portuguese... ;))

Virginia said...

Peter,
Merci, you keep adding such wonderful sites for my list that keeps getting longer and longer. I hope to visit this church for sure. How interesting the architecture. I think it might also be in our "neighborhood" which will be nice for walking and visiting. I hope we can share many of these together.
V

PapPat said...

belle usine! je croyais qu'on n'avait pas le droit de travailler le dimanche...

Chuckeroon said...

A part of Paris less well known to me....although I do remember vaguley a less than enjoyable stay near the Tour Montparnasse.

The Iron church and the TGVs at the station...........a feast as usual, Peter. Thank you.

PeterParis said...

Tanya:
You have learnt a trick because of me? I must immediately check!

GMG:
The Portuguese have good taste! :-)

Virginia:
Your list for single or common visiting seems to be getting quite long, but you will certainly find the time!

PeterParis said...

PapPat:
Bienvenu ici avec tes commentaires! Bientôt aussi un blog?

Chuckeroon:
Well, you have to select your hotels; some are nicer than others! Thanks for your kind comments!

Maxime said...

Superbe découverte, félicitations !

Alain said...

Je connaissais cette église qui est au point de départ d'une piste cyclable qui permet de sortir de Paris, vers le sud, sans encombres, mais je ne l'avais jamais visitée. Merci de l'avoir fait pour moi.

marie6 said...

Very interesting, my husband would love this building!!!

PeterParis said...

Maxime:
Merci!!

Alain:
Tu regrettes déjà Paris? :-)

Marie6:
Then you should bring your husband there! :-)

Adam said...

This is fascinating Peter - I wish I'd found it! The metallic structure must have been left on display to reflect the 'travail' part, which is almost patronising in a way!

PeterParis said...

Adam:
You already discovred a lot of things I wish I had discovered. Together we will really be good! :-)

Marie-Noyale said...

Je suis souvent passee par la, puisque Thomas (mon fiston),y a son appartement cette annee.
ET je ne suis jamais rentree!!
Honteux!!
Quel interieur interressant.

PeterParis said...

Marie-Noyale:
La prochaine fois!

Anonymous said...

ça c'est une trouvaille ! elle a l'air extraordinaire cette église. tu devais être content d'avoir poussé la porte....

GMG said...

I meant «du travail», not the «taste»... ;))