A visit to the Pantheon in Paris

Of all of my trips to Paris I had never made it into the Latin Quarter to the Pantheon. Sure, I had admired the neo-classical dome marking the cities' skyline from a distance but never made the trek up the Sainte Genevieve hill to visit until just recently.

 Up close the stunning stone decoration comes into sharp focus.

The huge scale of the interior needs other visitors to fully appreciate.  The proportions are so grand that it's hard to grasp the true scale otherwise.

The building has a fascinating history. Originally built as a church to Saint Genevieve by Louis XV in thanks for surviving an illness, construction began in 1758. The church was designed by architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot who was an early adoptor of the neo-classical style and this was to become his most famous commission.

The history becomes more interesting as the structure was de-consecrated by revolutionists in 1791 and turned into a mausoleum for Great Frenchmen and stripped of all ecclesiastical objects and art.

Later under different governments (France has a rocky history afterall) the Pantheon was to return to use as a church twice until finally becoming a meeting house for French intellectuals with graves in the basement crypt for the most important French intellectuals and scientists.

In 1851 the church was renowned as a hub of science when physicist Leon Foucault demonstrated the rotation of earth with a large pendulum hung from the central dome. This was recently reinstated with a copy seen below as the original is in a nearby museum.

The pantheon may be a temple to intellectuals and science but I was drawn to the great art found within.

 Great sculptures and vast paintings mark moments in French history.

 I particularly liked this painting of Joan of Arc.

 Areas still harken back to the time of when it was used as a church.

 I really admired the jacket of revolutionary war hero Lazare Hoche.

Notice the extra height the doors have visually with the fixed transoms over the operable door (look very carefully for where the operable door ends).  Very elegant overdoors too which also add to the verticality of the space.

 My favorite item in the Pantheon however has to be the original architectural model!

Built of stone and plaster the model has section cuts painted red which make them clear.  This particularly helps to show the construction of the dome and vaults.

While the appearance of the building is neo-classical,  structurally it utilizes many Gothic methods of construction like cleverly hidden flying buttresses.

 The crypt where many famous French citizens are buried is included in the model.

 While the model is rather rough it still includes details such as this staircase on an upper level.

The large tower shown on the left above no longer survives but you can see the dome of the room in which this model sits underneath.

The main entrance to the crypt is outdoors, seen above, but I really loved the elegant smaller round stairs below enclosed within the building.

 The crypt is enormous with room for centuries of burials.

The first chambers house only a few people such as Rousseau, Voltaire, and the architect of the Pantheon Soufflot.

 Commemorative plaques are found throughout the building.

 Below is the wood coffin of Rousseau in the form of a Greek temple.

 As always, click on the images to view them larger and take in the details.

 Voltaire is marked by this life sized statue.

 Soufflots Greek formed sarcophagus below.

 How cool is this space (literally and figuratively).

 Myriad burial chambers line the entire basement.

 I loved these pieces of sculpture which had fallen off the pediment artfully displayed in the crypt.

 A long history of the building was also in one of the crypt's chambers.

I'm always amazed by nature showing up in the most unexpected spots -here a fern growing under one of the massive stone columns lining the portico.

I'm not sure why I waited through so many years of Parisian getaways to visit the Pantheon. I highly recommend you pay a visit and if you have time, pay the extra 3 euro to visit the roof for a lovely view of the city.

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Museum of the 18th century - Musee Cognacq-Jay, Paris

One of the many small charming museums of Paris is the Musee Cognacq-Jay, covering the influential design of the 18th century. The collection was formed by the founders of La Samaritaine department store and opened to the public in 1929 although in a different location.

The city of Paris, which manages the collection, moved the museum into the Hotel Donon in 1990. This 16th century hotel particulier was renovated heavily over the centuries before the city rescued the structure in 1974 and restored it to its supposed 18th century appearance.

What an excellent place for the collection then, and a great location in the heart of the Marais. The move into the structure though was heavily debated and frowned upon by the founder's family.

I loved the wallpaper in this room, which feels so modern, and especially the little bookcase above.

While the collection is comprised of furniture, art, and decorative objects of the 18th century there are some noted exceptions.

 One of the highlights of the furniture collection is this lit a la Polonaise (Polish style bed).

This carved and gilded wood bed was made by Georges Jacob around 1785 and features period appropriate blue damask upholstery.

 The paintings of the period set the scene and tone of the period.

 One can see why the 18th century has been so influential to designers!

The stairs of the hotel are particularly lovely. We really liked the coved plaster ceiling of the main stair.

 The lower level stairs are formal limestone and iron with lovely age and wear to them.

 The upper levels have more cost effective wood stairs with the same iron rail.

The building is a great example of this type of structure found throughout Paris and is noted for its attic with beams much like a ship's structure. 

Add a trip to the Cognacq-Jay on your Parisian vacation; Best part is admission to the main collection is free!

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Exploring the Luxembourg Gardens

Another favorite spot in Paris is the Luxembourg Gardens, named after the famed palace they surround. While the history of the palace may be rather gruesome today the gardens are anything but as they act as the backyard to many Parisians.

The Palace has held the French Parliament since the early 19th century. Completed in 1645 by architect Salomon de Brosse for the mother of Louis XIII, the regent Marie de' Medici, later in the mid 18th century becoming an art museum.  Name it and this palace has hosted the use: private home, art museum, prison, parliament - talk about adaptive reuse!

One of the most famous things in the garden is the Medici Fountain, built elsewhere on the grounds in 1630 but moved closer to the palace in the 1860s when roads were routed through the gardens. It's a popular shady spot on a hot day.

 My favorite view in the gardens may be this statue of Narcissus with the Pantheon over his shoulder.

Nothing is better in nice weather to join all of Paris in a relaxing day spent with a book and/or friends in the sun. All of the lawn furniture is painted a particularly attractive shade of green (to which I must find a match!) and softdrinks, icecream, and wine (naturally) are sold by small kiosks. One can even rent toy boats to race in the round reflecting pool!

Given the signs however I suppose the gardens aren't always as relaxing  (Even the danger signs are beautiful).

While the back facade facing the gardens is the most well known the front face aligning with the Rue de Tournon is really an architectural tour de force.  Also check out the great shopping in the few blocks north of the palace along the Rue de Tournon leading up to the Boulevard St Germain -all of the shops you want to visit inside gorgeous historic hotel particuleurs to ogle including  Astair de Villatte, Bonpoint, Cire Trudon, and most surprisingly the French office and chic shop of David Hicks!

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