Inside, one can admire the altarpiece tabernacle altar in gilded wood, commissioned Jean-Baptiste Bouchardon in September 1735. The building was rebuilt and modified again sixteenth and nineteenth centuries but it has older parts, as its massive and decorative bell. Guided tours by reservation at +33 3 25 03 80 80.Īt the hamlet of Reclancourt, to see the church of Saint-Aignan whose existence dates back to the thirteenth century. Tower high 20 meters square, it has retained its medieval appearance. See also the dungeon of the Counts of Champagne, built between the eleventh and the twelfth century on a rocky outcrop, and the last vestige of the castle. Built in the early thirteenth, enlarged and remodeled until the sixteenth century, it houses numerous works of art inside, especially a sepulcher with life-size figures and various works of sculptor Jean-Baptiste Bouchardon Chaumontais (altar, furnishings). John the Baptist college in 1474 and became a basilica in 1948. To the right of the facade, we see the fountain dedicated to the sculptor Bouchardon of King Louis XV. As the altarpiece of Claude Collignon (1632), which is akin to a complete stage set of a high-relief, representing an assumption, realized in the eighteenth century. This is the case of the Jesuit chapel, whose construction was completed in 1640, and whose rich interior decor is outstanding. Having preserved a large part of its rich heritage, the city which has nearly 24,000 inhabitants has become the capital of the art of poster and graphic design.Ī city tour can begin with its many architectural and historical elements. In the twentieth century, its status as a prefecture city allowed the city to retain its tertiary activities and garrisons, and if the glove industry that made a part of its reputation gradually disappeared, a few subcontracting units (BTP, Automotive) take over. Under the first empire, the sovereigns united against Napoleon I signed the treaty of the Holy Alliance and in 1917, Chaumont welcomed the headquarters of the American armies. Benefiting from a strategic positioning on the roads of communication and thus commercial exchanges as military stakes, the city is chosen like residence of the Counts of Champagne from the thirteenth century. In the heart of the Plateau of Langres, where the Seine, the Aube and the Meuse, in particular, originate at the junction of Champagne and Burgundy, Chaumont (literally the Bald Mountain) was first established as early as the 10th Century on a spur without trees which dominated the valleys of the Suize and the Marne. With its fifty arches spread over three storeys, this remarkable hewn stone structure is 654 metres long and 52 metres tall, and has a specially created footpath on the first storey.Ĭhaumont is the prefecture town of the department of Haute-Marne, in Greater East. To the west of Chaumont, be sure to go and admire the magnificent railway viaduct, inaugurated in 1857, which overlooks the Suize Valley. Every year in May-June, the graphic arts are honoured at the international festival of posters and graphic design, which is held at various locations in the town. The House of Books and Posters, a cultural centre based in the silos of an old agricultural cooperative, contains an exceptional collection of old and contemporary posters, and hosts temporary exhibitions, conferences and workshops throughout the year. To enjoy a beautiful view of the basilica's towers and the old town's façades, head to Square Philippe Lebon, in the middle of which stands a stone statue of Philippe Lebon, the inventor of lighting gas.Īlso worth seeing is the Crèche Museum, on Rue des Frères Mistarlet, which has collections of old crèches including superb Neapolitan crèches from the 18th century. John the Baptist, dates back to the 13th-16th centuries and is remarkable for its elegant south door, splendid Entombment in polychrome stone dating from 1471, and its sculptures by the Chaumont artist Bouchardon! The Museum of Art and History, based in the lower rooms of the old castle, displays collections of archaeology (including a bronze breastplate from the 8th century B.C.) and Fine Arts (paintings from the French, Italian, Flemish and Dutch schools works by the Bouchardon family.).Īnother of the town's flagship monuments, the basilica of St. Lovers of old buildings should take a walk in the historic centre to discover Chaumont's ancient heritage: a Gothic and Renaissance-style basilica, a keep from the 11th and 12th centuries, the 13th-century Arse Tower, turreted houses with corbels, 15th and 16th-century private mansions and more.Ī relic of the castle of the Counts of Champagne, the feudal keep, a square tower standing 19 metres tall, offers a beautiful panoramic view over the Suize Valley from its terrace. The prefecture of Haute-Marne, the town of Chaumont, built in the 10th century on a rocky spur overlooking the Marne and Suize Valleys, has kept a picturesque charm from its medieval days.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |