After the visit of the Collège des Bernardins, let’s continue with another medieval building – Hôtel (town house) de Cluny , which today houses the National Museum of the Middle Ages.
The building stands on what used to be some Gallo-Roman Baths (or thermes). The Romans, who had the control of Lutetia (Lutèce ... later to become Paris) between 52 BC and the end of the 3rd century constructed several baths, but these ones, the Cluny Baths, are the only ones today still partly visible and can normally be visited as part of the museum. Unfortunately (at least for my post), the bath part is at the moment to a large extent under restoration and partly closed for visitors. You can above from the Google map see how the shape of the Roman “frigidarium” is still present*.
I already posted about another Roman vestige, the Lutetian Arena or Amphitheatre, which together with the Cluny Baths are the only Roman remains in Paris that are still more or less visible. There are other ones, but they are underground.
As the Collège des Bernardins, Cluny was a college, part of the then new Paris University and dates also from the 13th century. It occupied partly the space where Sorbonne is today (just south of the Hôtel). The present Cluny gothic mansion (with some renaissance elements), created as living quarters, with a Chapel, was commenced in 1334, but was rebuilt 1485-1510.
Among some celebrity residents you may mention Mary Tudor (after the death of her husband Louis XII in 1515) and the Cardinal Mazarin.
After confiscation during the Revolutionary years and some changing owners, it was made to a public museum in 1843.
(My photos were again taken on a rather rainy day and the sundial did not give the hour.)
The museum presents a rich collection of medieval artefacts; sculptures, different items of gold or ivory, illuminated manuscripts, stained glassworks ... and a very rich tapestry collection, including “The Lady and the Unicorn”, a series of six extremely well preserved tapestries from the late 15th century, woven in Flandres, designed in Paris. (The lights are very discrete - to allow the conservation -, which made it difficult to take pictures.)
The building stands on what used to be some Gallo-Roman Baths (or thermes). The Romans, who had the control of Lutetia (Lutèce ... later to become Paris) between 52 BC and the end of the 3rd century constructed several baths, but these ones, the Cluny Baths, are the only ones today still partly visible and can normally be visited as part of the museum. Unfortunately (at least for my post), the bath part is at the moment to a large extent under restoration and partly closed for visitors. You can above from the Google map see how the shape of the Roman “frigidarium” is still present*.I already posted about another Roman vestige, the Lutetian Arena or Amphitheatre, which together with the Cluny Baths are the only Roman remains in Paris that are still more or less visible. There are other ones, but they are underground.
As the Collège des Bernardins, Cluny was a college, part of the then new Paris University and dates also from the 13th century. It occupied partly the space where Sorbonne is today (just south of the Hôtel). The present Cluny gothic mansion (with some renaissance elements), created as living quarters, with a Chapel, was commenced in 1334, but was rebuilt 1485-1510.
Among some celebrity residents you may mention Mary Tudor (after the death of her husband Louis XII in 1515) and the Cardinal Mazarin.
After confiscation during the Revolutionary years and some changing owners, it was made to a public museum in 1843.
(My photos were again taken on a rather rainy day and the sundial did not give the hour.)
The museum presents a rich collection of medieval artefacts; sculptures, different items of gold or ivory, illuminated manuscripts, stained glassworks ... and a very rich tapestry collection, including “The Lady and the Unicorn”, a series of six extremely well preserved tapestries from the late 15th century, woven in Flandres, designed in Paris. (The lights are very discrete - to allow the conservation -, which made it difficult to take pictures.)
*/ (The illustrations from the Roman times are borrowed from an excellent website, proposed by the Ministry of Clulture and the City of Paris.) 
Posts
