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City of Art and History

Bar-le-Duc from the Earliest Time to the Present Day

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Bar-le-Duc’s Great Monuments
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City of Art and History | Bar-le-Duc’s Great Monuments
 

The Church of Saint Etienne

 

It was originally a collegiate church dedicated to Saint Peter, hence the name of the adjacent square: Saint Peter’s square. Most part of the church was built between 1440 and 1537, and it still stands as an example of the flamboyant gothic style in Lorraine. Saint Etienne still houses worthy works of art such as le Squelette (The skeleton) and le Calvaire (The calvary), both painted by Ligier Richier.
 

Bar-le-Duc’s Saint Peter’s square

The elongated shape of Saint Peter’s square allowed medieval jousting tournaments to be held there. The main street, the “Rue des Ducs de Bar,” runs along the square. Many old houses (16th-18th) are gathered in this area.

The Ducal Castle

Before it was almost entirely destroyed in 1670, the castle was a large building surrounded by high walls. Not only used as dwelling, it also included the Collegiate Church of Saint Maxe, the ducal necropolis, canonical buildings, gardens and outhouses. The “Neuf Castel” and the “Salle du Trésor des Chartes,” both built under the reigns of René II and Charles III, now house the “Musée du Barrois” (Bar-le-Duc’s Museum).

Gilles de Treves’ High School

Gilles de Treves, who was the dean of the collegiate church of Saint Maxe founded this building circa 1571. The high school exemplifies well the Renaissance civilian architecture, and Montaigne called it “the most beautiful urban house one could find in France.” Gilles de Treves bequeathed it to the city of Bar-le-Duc. It remained a school until 2003.

The Church of Saint Antoine

This Augustinian monastery was founded in Bar-le-Duc by Duke Robert and his wife Marie de France. Like the nave of the church that passes over the “Canal des Usines” thanks to 15th-century extension, its mural paintings and chapels, which are embedded between the buttresses, help to give the church a charming character. It became a parish church after the French Revolution and was given the name of “Eglise Saint Antoine.”

Town Hall

Nicolas Charles Oudinot built a mansion in 1803 in his native city. This neoclassical building was burnt down in 1813 and Napoleon himself financed the rehabilitation. Since 1869, this charming house has been used as town hall.  

The Church of Notre Dame

The Church of Notre Dame is Bar-le-Duc’s oldest Church. Until the 18th century, it was the only parish church of the city. It was built at the end of the 11th century by Countess Sophie and was often altered through the ages. Even if it has often been reshaped, the church has kept some of its original elements. For instance, the construction of the tower began in 1728.

Castle of Marbeaumont

This odd castle was built by the banker Paul Varin Bernier between 1903 and 1905. The castle mixes the style of the Renaissance with that of the period of Louis XIII, and with the most modern technique initiated by Gustave Eiffel.

The Cemetery

The cemetery of Bar-le-Duc is a 5-hectare surface area divided into 9900 plots. Some of the tombs belong to the French listed monuments.

The Clock Tower

Being the last remnant of the castle of Marbeaumont, the Clock Tower was named after Duke Robert of Bar, who had a clock that chimes every hour installed in 1381. During the Middle Ages, the loopholes and embrasures of the tower allowed Bar-le-Duc’s inhabitants to keep an eye on the surroundings and to throw projectiles at their enemies. A staircase goes from the bottom of the Clock Tower to the lower city.
lundi 6 septembre 2010, 22:55:36