La Sorbonne, Paris

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Historically, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, la Sorbonne nowadays refers to several Paris-based universities specialising in different fields. The original Collège de Sorbonne was founded by Robert de Sorbon in 1257 as a theological school, at its current location in the Latin Quarter in Paris. It has had a complex history with l'Université de Paris, one of Europe's oldest universities, founded in the 11th century. Over time, different colleges were repeatedly combined and separated, most recently in 1970 when the enormous establishment was split into 13 different universities, only four of which are still referred to as la Sorbonne. The actual Sorbonne campus was completely rebuilt by Cardinal de Richelieu in 1653 who employed the architect, Jacques Lemercier. Further construction occurred in the late 19th century, by the architect Henri-Paul Nénot. The most recognisable structure is the domed Chapelle de la Sorbonne, described herein under a separate tip.

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Dedicated to saint Ursula, but more commonly referred to as Chapelle de la Sorbonne, this domed church is the university chapel of la Sorbonne. It was commissioned by Cardinal de Richelieu, who employed the architect, Jacques Lemercier, to rebuild the entire university along with its chapel, as replacements to the original mediaeval structures. On designing the existing chapel, he combined Baroque and Renaissance styles to create a church that resembled many of those in Rome, but it was not completed until 1642, the year the Cardinal died. His funeral took place at the chapel and he was buried within it, in a tomb sculpted by François Girardon. Unfortunately, during the Revolution, both his tomb and the church were badly vandalised, but restored thereafter.

My photo shows the back of the prestigious Lycée Louis-le-Grand on the left side of the Panthéon. The entrance is rue St Jacques facing the Sorbonne. It is one of the elite secondary schools of France combined with the "classes préparatoires" preparing students for the "concours" competitive examination at the entrance of the "Grandes Ecoles". In France the "Grandes Ecoles" stand on a level which is superior to the universities.
Grounded in 1563 by the Jesuits the "Collège de Clermont" at the start was named "Collège de Louis le Grand" after king Louis XIV offered his patronage. The college was often in competition with the University of Paris.
At the Revolution the name was changed to Lycée. The Lycée Louis-le-Grand kept its position as elite establishment. Molière, Voltaire, and Victor Hugo were pupils as well as Georges Pompidou, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, and Jacques Chirac who became French presidents.

A thorough renovation of the buildings started in 1995; one can now admire the results.

Paris is a city with a remarkable architecture; the various buildings of the Sorbonne are an example among many others. It is not possible anymore to have free visits inside but we can take pleasure admiring the outside.
My picture is taken from the Pantheon square and shows the entrance to the Faculty of Law of the Paris 1 "Panthéon-Sorbonne" university.
At Paris 1 political sciences and economics, management, law and human sciences are teached to 38.000 students, not just here but on 26 sites in and around Paris.

Strange for an outsider is the fact this building on my photo is also used by the "Panthéon-Assas" Paris II University which is mainly teaching law to 18.000 students with the main campus rue d'Assas. The building "Faculté de Droit - Panthéon" is evenly divided between the two universities. This resulted from the split of the University of Paris in 1968 after the famous May 68 student revolt.

This little garden area is situated between the northern edge of the Sorbonne and the Musee de Cluny. It is bounded by the rue des Ecoles and the r. Sommerard. There are a few benches on which to rest and lots of flowers. This is one of the suddenly encountered spaces that make walking around Paris so delightful. Surprisingly, it is not overrun by students. Painleve, a PhD. mathematecian, taught at the Sorbonne in the early 1900's and started the first course in aeronautics; some of his work laid the groundwork for concepts on "black holes". He was briefly French prime minister twice during and after WWI and conceived of the Maginot Line. (He talked with Einstein as an equal). I never heard of him before looking it up.

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The Tower of Clovis is a misattribution. Clovis actually founded a basilica on this site in 510, but nothing of it remains. The tower is across the r. Clovis to the right of the Church of St.-Etienne du Mont. The tower is of 1150 and was the campanile of the church in an Abbey devoted to Ste. Genevieve. The buildings were demolished as unneeded during the Revolution which converted the nearby church dedicated to the Saint into a necropolis of the great later named the "Pantheon" (1885). They built the Lycee Henri-IV (1796) over the abbey ruins (which are part of its grounds). The upper 2 Gothic levels of the Tower which we see today were a 15C replacement (below that it is Romanesque, not easily visible). Nearby are the school buildings of the Sorbonne. St. Etienne was built originally as the parish church for the servants of the Abbey and other residents.

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The Chapel of the Sorbonne was designed by Lemercier (1635-42) on commission of Cardinal Richelieu (who is buried inside). The main entrance faces the Place and is 2 order-level Jesuit in style. A more magnificent entrance is on the north and faces a large enclosed courtyard which is the “main campus” of the University. The dome (1641-5) was the fifth one erected in Paris. A pair of fine statues stand at each end of the top of the facade but I cannot find out who they are (protectors?). Entrance into the Chapel is restricted to special exhibition times and for a Mass on the anniversary of Richelieu’s death.

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The interior of the church can only be seen when there are special cultural events held in it, but it was open regularly when we took these pictures although the light was dim. The interior is elaborate and shows off Le Mercier's first dome. Richelieu's tomb at the inner end of the chancel is a masterpiece of sculpture (by Girardon, 1678, to drawings by LeBrun).