Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/672

 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Mar., finished in ITU. In 1748 the floor of the Cathedral was so far above the level of the street, that thirteen steps led up to it. In that year the street level was raised to its present grade. The plan of this Cathedral is cruci- form, with an octagonal eastern end. At the western end are two lofty square towers, which were intended to support spires. The dimensions of the whole are as follows : Length 390 feet, width at transepts 144 feet, height of vaulting 102 feet, height of western towers 204 feet, width of western front 128 feet. The length of the nave is 225 feet, width 39 feet. The roof is 356 feet in length, formed of chestnut timber, and rising 30 feet above the vaulting. The weight of the lead, which covers it, has been calculated at 420,240 pounds! The diameters of the circular windows are 36 feet. The foundations are laid 1 8 feet below the soil, on a hard stratum of gravel. It is difficult, at this day, to look into the interior of this sublime old Minster ; and form any idea, from its present ap- pearance, of what it once was. In the words of Victor Hugo : " If we enter the edifice^Who overthrew the colossal statue of St. Christopher? — proverbial amongst the statues, as the large hall of the Palace is amongst halls, as the spire of Strasburg amongst spires. And the myriad of statues that once occu- pied the intercolumniations of the nave and the choir ? — kneeling, on foot, on horseback, men, women, children, kings, bishops, men-at-arms in stone, in marble, in gold, in silver, in copper, even in w 7 ax. Who has brutally swept them away ? It is not Time. " And who substituted for the old Gothic altar, splendidly encumbered with shrines and relics, that heavy sar- cophagus of marble, with angels' heads and clouds, which seems to have strayed from Val de Grace, or the Invalids ? Who stupidly sealed this heavy stone anachronism in the Carlovingian pave- ment of Hercandus ?" Again viewing the exterior, we find much to admire, as well as much criti- call}' to condemn. The general style is Gothic, of a very mixed order. Those parts built in the fourteenth century being closely copied from what pre- viously existed, and distinguishable only by a higher degree of finish in the ornaments. The Western Front is decidedly the most prominent, as well as the finest feature of the whole. Three ample por- tals lead into the nave and aisles. They each form a series of retiring arches, with angels, saints, &c, in the interme- diate mouldings. The portals are bi- sected by square pillars, the tympanums above them being richly sculptured. The portals of the transepts have similar finish ; the central one of the western front was spoiled by Soufflot, A. D. 1760, who formed it into a pointed arch ; but it has since been restored to its original form, according to the original designs, which were preserved. In the northern tower is the celebrated bell called the Bourdon, which is never rung but on occasions of grand solemni- ties. It weighs nearty sixteen tons, and its clapper about half a ton. It was cast in 1683, and re-cast in 1685. Louis XIY. and Maria Therese acted as its god-father and god-mother, and it received the name of Emmanuel-Louise- Therese. On the front facade, forming a deep belt above the three principal entrances, are twenty-eight royal niches, each of which is the shelter for a French mon- arch (in stone) from Childebertto Philip Augustus, who held in his hand the im- perial globe. The flight of steps, which formerly elevated this magnificent struc- ture so much, as to add materially to its effect, owing to the constant raising of the grade of the street, as before alluded to, has been taken away, in great part, leaving but three steps as ascent. In the section above this tier of royal niches are three windows, two of these in ogive, with circular lights in the