For decades, the large rose window dominating the entrance door to the Saint-Sernin basilica in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) has been hidden by a large plastic panel.
A flagship of heritage, the building is the subject of a major renovation project led by the Toulouse town hall to restore the beauty of this remarkable monument, classified as a World Heritage Site under the “Paths of Saint-Jacques”. of Compostela”.
Since the end of 2022, the restoration, architectural and statuary, has focused on the west facade, including the large entrance door, opposite the Saint-Raymond museum.
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In order to highlight the western facade, the Toulouse town hall launched a consultation for the creation of a stained glass window for the rose window and the small bay above it.
With a diameter of 5.50 m, the rose window did not have a stained glass window and its location - in the setting sun - intervenes in the luminous dynamics of the building.
The project also had to provide protection from thermal shock for the Cavaillé-Coll organ, classified as a Historic Monument and installed in front of the stained glass window.
A clever mix
It was ultimately Jean-Michel Othoniel, with Ateliers Loire, who was selected by the City to create this rose window for the entrance facade of the Saint-Sernin basilica.
“The chosen creation is part of both the current of contemporary art and the history of the monument, its identity and the majesty of the volume,” indicates the Toulouse town hall.
To create this monumental work, the artist joined forces with master glassmakers from Ateliers Loire, from Chartres (Eure-et-Loir), who have exceptional know-how passed down from generation to generation and who have already accompanied in several of his achievements”.
The restoration work on the Saint-Sernin basilica is financed, with a contribution from the State and the Region, to the tune of 3.3 million euros by the Toulouse town hall.