Like a feeling of deja vu. This Saturday morning - five years after the spectacular fire which had badly damaged the Saint-Donatien basilica - the cathedral of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), located 1500 meters from the basilica, was in the grip of a violent fire, probably of criminal origin. Hélène Kerguenou, tour guide in the Pays de la Loire region, tells us her story.
1. She suffered enormously
"During the French Revolution, it served as a stable," recalls the tour guide. It was looted and many relics disappeared at that time. In 1800, the tower of the neighboring castle of the Dukes of Brittany exploded and damaged the south arm of the cathedral. The American bombings of 1944, which destroy the city at 45%, will not spare it.
2. She has already been hit by a fire
In 1972, a worker who manipulates a torch by welding a gutter in the attic accidentally sets fire. It will be necessary to wait until 2013 for the works to be completely finished. But on this occasion, the frame had been rebuilt almost entirely in concrete. Which, this Saturday, surely saved him more damage and a scenario at Notre-Dame de Paris…
VIDEO. Fire at Nantes Cathedral: the privileged criminal track
3. It was unfinished for a long time
Its initial construction lasted 457 years, says the tour guide. In the 15th century, Nantes was part of the Duchy of Brittany. "When it was attached to the kingdom of France in 1532, it was clearly not a priority for the king to complete this work ... which would last until 1891! Says the guide. It therefore remained open for a long time, until the architect Viollet-le-Duc, to whom we owe the renovation of Notre-Dame, resumed work.
4. It houses the tomb of the last dukes of Brittany
François II and Marguerite de Foix. The massive ensemble, partly made of Carrara marble, was commissioned by Anne de Bretagne to honor the memory of her parents. It is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance art.
5. It retains only one stained glass window from the 15th century
"A sublime stained glass, notes the specialist, who takes up the story of Anne of Brittany, last duchess of Brittany before joining the kingdom of France". The one who will become queen of France remains a very important figure in the collective memory of Brittany for having defended the interests of her duchy. It is not yet known whether this stained glass window, which is located just behind the organ case on the western facade, was damaged in the fire.
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