Saint Séverin Church in the Latin Quarter
Saint Séverin Church is nestled in the heart of the Latin Quarter, just around the corner from Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre Church.
Renowned as one of the finest churches in Paris, it showcases a captivating blend of architectural styles and artistic elements.
The church features a remarkable array of glass windows spanning the 15th century to the present day, including colorful contemporary designs alongside older installations.
One of its most intriguing features is the twisted pillar located in the ambulatory.
Originally constructed in the 11th century, Saint Séverin Church stands on the site of an earlier oratory where the hermit Séverin lived and was buried in the early 6th century.
Saint Séverin Church through the centuries
Saint Séverin Church underwent extensive enlargement and alterations over the course of three centuries, resulting in its unique Gothic architecture.
Today, only the first three bays of the nave and the lower level of the belfry remain from the original structure.
In the early 14th century, an additional aisle was added to the nave to accommodate the growing number of students from the Latin Quarter.
Originally, these students worshiped at Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre Church, but as their numbers increased, a larger space was needed.
Further expansion occurred in the 15th century, primarily in width rather than length. However, due to constraints in space at the front and rear of the church, its architecture exhibits some unique features.
These architectural peculiarities contribute to the church’s impressive volumes and fascinating design, making Saint Séverin Church a landmark in the Latin Quarter.
Saint Séverin Church’s double ambulatory and twisted pillar
The church’s current architecture dates from the late 15th to the 17th century, and represents a blend of successive architectural styles, with Gothic predominating.
Anne Duchess of Montpensier, cousin of King Louis XIV, commissioned the most talented artists and architects of the time to remodel and update the church.
One of the church’s most striking features is found in the double ambulatory, where carved columns resembling a dense forest of palm trees encircle a central twisted pillar adorned with a superb twist wrapped around its shaft.
The apse’s equally magnificent lateral chapels were constructed between 1489 and 1520 in the pure Gothic Flamboyant style. In 1673, Jules Hardouin-Mansart added the Chapelle de la Communion on the southeast side of the church, further enriching its architectural splendor.
Saint Séverin Church’s decorative features
In 1685, Charles le Brun undertook significant alterations to the chancel by transforming its original Gothic arcades into Classical semicircular arches.
He adorned the pillars with pink marble fascia and marmosets, a common practice to mask the junction where the pillars had been extended during the elevation of the nave.
Marmosets, usually depicted in pairs, typically represent monks or prophets, often holding scrolls.
Despite these alterations, two 13th century keystones survived from the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, which once stood to the right of the vestry, providing glimpses of the church’s original decoration.
Among the surviving artwork is a 15th century fresco depicting the Last Judgment.
Saint Séverin Church also houses several pieces of notable funeral art, including the Black Heart bearing the epitaph of Catherine de Brinon and her daughter Catherine de Canteleu, who died in 1699. The family had been contributing to the church’s maintenance since 1491.
Another remarkable piece is the tombstone of former parishioner Nicolas de Beaumont, depicted with his wife and their 15 children kneeling before Christ.
The church boasts masterpieces of the 17th century French School of Painting, including Saint Paul the Apostle meditating as he writes, holding a sword, by Claude Vignon.
There is also a replica of Our Lady of Ostrabrama, bequeathed to the church by a Polish parishioner in 1840 – the original painting is in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The chapel to the left of the vestry is dedicated to Sainte-Thérèse de l’Enfant Jésus and contains the cast of a statue of Sainte-Thérèse by Paul Landowski.
Finally, the impressive 18th century organ, built by Jean Ferrand, establishes Saint Severin Church as a prominent center of Sacred Music.
Saint Séverin Church’s stained-glass windows
The stained-glass windows are another significant decorative element.
The Gothic stained-glass windows in the chancel, dating back to the 15th century, are well preserved and beuatifully complement the rose window located above the western entrance.
Emile Hirsch played a crucial role in producing most of the stained-glass windows in the south chapels between 1875 and 1900.
These windows were generously funded by wealthy parishioners, who, in exchange for their financial support, served as models to depict scenes from the Life of the Saints or the Gospel. Among the faces depicted, you can find that of Charles Garnier, the architect of the Opéra House, who resided nearby and worship in Saint-Séverin.
In 1970, Jean Bazaine contributed to the church’s stained-glass collection by creating seven colorful contemporary windows for the chancel’s lateral chapels and double ambulatory. These windows, themed around the Seven Sacraments, add a vibrant and modern touch to the church’s decor, further enriching its visual splendor.
Sainte-Ursule’s relics
Saint Séverin Church also serves as the resting place for the relics of Sainte-Ursule, the patron saint of the nearby Sorbonne University.
According to legend, Ursule, the daughter of a Christian Breton King during the late 3rd century AD, refused to marry a Pagan German Prince, and fled with her maids.
Their journey took them on a pilgrimage to Rome and eventually to Cologne in Germany, where they were captured, tortured, and martyred by the Huns.
In the 12th century, the skeletons of several young individuals were discovered near Cologne and were immediately proclaimed to be those of Ursule and her maids.
This discovery revitalized the legend of Ursule, and her relics were distributed to various Christian communities across Europe, including Saint Séverin Church, which a custodian of the sacred relics of Sainte-Ursule.
Saint Séverin Church – exterior
The western portal of Saint Séverin Church dates back to the 13th century, and has an unusual history.
It was originally part of Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeufs, a church located on the Île de la Cité, which was dismantled in the late 1830s. The sculpture adorning this portal depicts Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar, symbolizing the virtue of charity.
As for the belfry, it cast in 1412 and boasts one of the oldest bells in Paris!
The church’s former charnel house is now a small public walled garden enclosed within a Gothic covered gallery of the cloister.
In medieval times, it was common practice in large cities to relocate the bones of the deceased several months after burial to free up space for new burials.
Today, this secluded public garden serves as a peaceful oasis of greenery amidst the bustling district.
Directions: 5th District
Metro: Saint-Michel on Line 4
Coordinates: Lat 48.852242 – Long 2.345475
