Bordeaux Things to Do

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The interior of the church discloses a tall and broad-arched nave in two levels. with a tall arcade and large upper windows.. The windows in the choir were destroyed in WWII and delightful new ones were created by Max Ingrand. The pretty pulpit of the 18C shows St.-Michel killing the dragon on its top. (The church is poorly illuminated and our photos are poor).

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Typical of the Rayonnant Gothic period, the chevet of the Cathedral is covered with gargoyles. They are to covey rain water from the roof but it looks like they were overproduced here and have as usual entertaining "faces" and in this case even bodies. A pair of binoculars is a handy tool for their study.

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The bell-tower was built by the Bishop of the same name in the 15C. It is freestanding because the intervening church buildings (residences) were destroyed during the Revolution. A high wind decapitated the steeple later on and it has been replaced by a copper-coated Virgin in the latter part of the 19C. The tower is not as tall as the steeples of the North transept or the tower at St.-Michel church.

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The choir area is much taller that the nave and the ambulatory and transepts widen the church considerably. They are a fine example of Rayonnant Gothic style. The carved altar is encircled by fine carved 17C stalls and a Bishop's chair. The South transept Rose and its glass enhances the ensemble.

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The interior of the church is remarkable for the fact that it is a single aisled nave. There are only six such large Gothic structures in Europe and three more of them are not far from here in Southern France! It was started on Romanesque remnants. The vaulting was modified in the 13 & 15 C to prevent collapse using diagonal struts and dependent keystones in the first three bays and the irregularly placed buttresses outside. The nave is only two levels and is somewhat low. The west end does not have a door but the beautiful Renaissance organ loft covers a set of delicate bas-reliefs on the end wall, from a 1531 choir screen that was demolished. They show Christ in Limbo meeting with pagan celebrities and then His Ascension on an Eagle,

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The portal has a flat top below which is a large Rose window . Under that is a row of eight lancet windows. The statues on the jambs are gone, but there are fine bas-reliefs at the bases of female figures (what do they symbolize?). Along the nave end of the south side are irregularly distributed massive blocks that serve as buttresses with "flying" arcs that support the nave (there are more on the north) added when it was feared the roof would collapse.

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The Royal Portal gives access to the nave (now closed) and is to the right (west ) of the transept portal. It is late 13C sculpture at its best and has been lovingly restored by Viollet-le-Duc. A row of 8 statues in arcades is above displaying 6 bishops, a king and a queen. The tympanum is a Last Judgment with a Resurrection on the lintel and the ensuing action above that (Hell is no longer depicted by le- Duc. Did he delete it?). Each jamb contains 5 grand statues of the Apostles. The grime is accumulation of the last century only, although cleaning haltingly proceeds.

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The Cathedral of St.-Andre is both interesting and in many parts beautiful. In any other country but France, it would be in the first rank. It was built on Romanesque fragments in Gothic and Renaissance style from the 12 to the 15C, taking advantage of the best design elements as time progressed. Unlke most cathedrals, the focus is not on the west front which is quite plain. The church is usually encountered from the north and it is the North Transept portal which is met, flanked by two turrets with spires that are taller than its freestanding belfry. There are adornments of its jambs and tympanum that. This ensemble is used as the main door and even called the “West Front” in many guides (even Wikipedia). On the north side to the west (right) is another (closed) doorway into the nave called the Royal Portal which is 13C. Viollet-le-Duc restored this early Gothic masterpiece;the grime is a recent 20C addition. The South transept has a broad triumphal flat-topped portal. Finally in circling the church there is a tall and impressive chevet and a little off to the southeast the freestanding “Tour Pey-Berland”. ( We have given some of these elements are given separate Tips).