Day 4

This morning we decide to go to the Musée du Moyen Age-Thermes de Cluny. As the name suggests, this was once a Roman Bath. The Bath and Frigidarium are incorporated into the building. The rest of the building was built about 1500. It houses works executed in the Middle Ages. There are two different versions of the "Books of Hours" and many tapestries including the series "Lady with the Unicorn" which dates from the 15th century. The Gallery of Kings has 21 of the 28 stone heads of the Kings of Judah which were carved around 1220 and unearthed during excavations near the Paris Opera. The Kings were originally on the façade of Notre Dame Cathedral. Newer statues of the Kings have replaced these statues.

The main courtyard of the Cluny Museum
The Gallery of Kings
A hall leading to the Roman Bath and Gallery of Kings
Stained Glass at the Cluny Museum.

The main attractions of the afternoon were La Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame Cathedral. Sainte Chapelle was built for Louis IX in 1248 to house the crown of thorns and part of the cross of Jesus. St. Louis paid more for the crown than he did for the chapel. The chapel is surounded by the Palais de Justice. It features a unique construction which allowed for walls that appear to be almost entirely glass, without using the flying buttresses of Gothic cathedrals.

Visitors enter through the lower chapel (where the supports for the chapel are visible) that was used by the servants and commoners.
The main chapel

Finally we went to Notre Dame. What can be said that hasn't been written many times. Our personal high point was the ringing of the bells while we were in the square in front of the church. The picture below is the North Rose Window and the chandelier over the main altar.

The kings that replaced those at the Musée de Moyen Age in their rightful place on the façade of Notre Dame.

After Notre Dame we toured the Crypte Archéologique. It contains sections of old building foundations that pre-date the cathedral. The museum uses lights connected to buttons to highlight features described on panels. Afterwards, we stopped in the flower market for a change of pace. Tomorrow on to Rouen.