Rouen, Its History and Monuments Part 10

MINERAL WATERS.

Rouen has also its mineral waters, which, even in the neighbouring towns, have a sort of reputation, I will point out three of the princ.i.p.al sources, after _Lepecq de la Cloture_: The first, to the east, is known under the name of _la Marequerie_, to which we arrive by the rue Martainville; the second, to the south east, named _de Saint-Paul_; the third is situated at _Deville_, in the neighbourhood of Rouen. The learned doctor, on whose authority I speak, a.s.sures us that sick people to whom he ordered the water of the last named spring, were cured by the use of it. He also adds, that this spring might become very valuable to the inhabitants of the western quarter of the town. Nevertheless, it has never been much known, and even at the present day very few people are acquainted with its existence.

SQUARES AND MARKET PLACES.

OLD MARKET AND PLACE DE LA PUCELLE.

The name of the first of these two places points out to us that it is the most ancient in Rouen; it is also the most considerable. It existed in the XIth century, and was at that period, situated in the suburb.

Formerly, it covered a much larger s.p.a.ce of ground than at present; since, in the XVIth century, it occupied the whole of the ground contained between the _rue du Vieux-Palais_, the church of Saint-Eloi and Saint-Michael; the last mentioned church has disappeared within the last few-years, and is replaced by a handsome building, which is named the _Hotel Saint-Michel_. About the commencement of the XVIth century, the houses in the neighbourhood of the church of Saint-Eloi and the _rue du Vieux-Palais_, were erected; one of them still remains, it is the Hotel da Bourgtheroulde, which I have already described. The old market was thus divided, into two unequal parts. The spot where the innocent _Joan of Arc_ was burnt in 1431, retains the name of _place de la Pucelle_. It is also called _place du Marche-aux-Veaux_, on account of its former destination. It is then on the old market place, that the French heroine was sacrificed to the superst.i.tion of that age.

NEW MARKET.

Fruit, eggs, cream cheeses, or small Neufchatel cheeses: such are the supplies to be found in this market. About fifty years ago, a gilt leaden statue, representing Louis XVth in his youth, and covered with the royal mantle, was to be seen. This monument has been replaced by the present obelisk, which furnishes an abundant supply of water to the inhabitants of this quarter.

PLACE NOTRE-DAME.

Before 1429, this place served as a poultry and gra.s.s market. In 1537, it was paved and enclosed with a low wall. In 1641, two stone Crosses, still visible in some ancient engravings, were placed at the two corners. In the time of _Pommeraye_, the _parvis_ Notre-Dame, was the place on which bonfires were lighted. At present it is the flower and seed market, regularly held on the sundays and fridays.

PLACE DE LA CALENDE.

It was formerly called _Port-Morant_, _port des navires_, or _port de Notre-Dame_, because, before the first dukes enclosed the Seine within certain limits, the vessels discharged their cargoes at this place. The house which is exactly opposite the porch of the church and on which we distinguish a dial, is the remains of the old _Hotel-Dieu_.

THE ROUGEMARE.

In the year 949, Otho, emperor of Germany, Louis IVth, king of France, and Arnold, count of Flanders, laid siege to the town of Rouen. The duke Richard Ist, surnamed _Sans-Peur_, made a _sortie_ by the _porte Beauvoisine_, and fell on the enemies of which he made a great slaughter. This action took place partly on the site of the present _Rouge-Mare_ (red-pool), from the blood with which it was covered.

In 1450, the _Rouge-Mare_ became the horse market, which has, since the end of the last century, been transferred to the _Boulingrin_. The _Rouge-Mare_ is now the b.u.t.ter market.

THE BOULINGRIN.

The English have returned to the French that which they had borrowed of them. Formerly, people did not go to walk on the _boulevard_, but on the _boule-verd_, from which the english have made _bowling-green_, a literal translation. From this word, the french derive their _Boulingrin_.

This place is situated at the junction of the rampes Beauvoisine and Saint-Hilaire; it is a vast square surrounded by a magnificent double row of horse chestnut trees. Since the horse market has been transferred to it, people commonly call it the _new Rouge-Mare_.

PUBLIC LIBRARY,

PICTURE GALLERY AND MUSEUMS.

PUBLIC LIBRARY,

_At the Town Hall._

The opening of this library took place on the 4th july 1809. Since then, the inhabitants and strangers are admited into this establishment every day, (except Sundays, thursdays and during the vacations), from eleven till four, and from 6 till 9 o'clock in the evening. The present collection, consists of about thirty five thousand volumes. There are above eleven hundred ma.n.u.scripts. Several of them are very curious and rare, from their date, their illuminations, or their subjects. Amongst the first, although not the most ancient, I will mention the famous _Gradual_ by Daniel d'Aubonne, who died in the year 1714. It measures two feet seven inches in length by one foot ten inches in breadth and weighs seventy three pounds. It is ornamented with bra.s.s plates; on each side of the binding, we may observe the armorial bearings of the abbey of Saint-Ouen, which are also of bra.s.s. This ma.n.u.script contains about two hundred vignettes, initials of all sizes, and also a great number of gilt letters. One cannot admire too much the patience of the author, who pa.s.sed thirty years, it is said, on this immense undertaking. The library contains also other ma.n.u.scripts, infinitely more precious, amongst which are several of the XIth, IXth, and even of the VIIth and VIIIth centuries. The learned will distinguish amongst the most important of the ma.n.u.scripts, the curious missal of archbishop Robert, which was brought from England about the year 1050, with the _benedictionary_, which was used at the coronation of the Anglo-Saxon Kings. These two ma.n.u.scripts are ornamented with magnificent miniatures in the greek style of the empire. The books printed before the year 1500 amount to three hundred and twenty eight, of which two hundred and forty bear dates; the most ancient is of 1468.

The library contains also collections of great value and editions which have become very rare. The government has enriched it with several very valuable works. The most important gift that has yet been made to the library, is that which was sent, by the commission of records in England, of the collection of historical doc.u.ments, which they have published. This magnificent gift, which will be followed by several others, is composed of 71 vols. folio, and 168 vols. 8 vo.

The Leber's magnificent collection of books and ma.n.u.scripts, bought last year by the city, will shortly be added to the public library.

The present keeper is M.A. Pottier.

PICTURE GALLERY,

_At the Town Hall._

The opening of the picture gallery took place on the same day (4th july 1809), as that of the library. The greater part of the paintings have been collected in the departement. The government has also a.s.sisted in enriching it, by giving several paintings of different schools, the munic.i.p.al council by voting different acquisitions, and some private persons, by voluntary gifts. This interesting collection is composed of about three hundred paintings, amongst which we remark _a Virgin in the midst of Angels_, called _the Virgin of Saint-Sixte_, by Raphael, an admirable copy, if not a second original of the picture known under the same name in the gallery of Dresden; also three small paintings, placed next to each other, and which are incontestably by that great painter and in his best style; the Van Eyck representing _the Virgin in the midst of young girls; a ma.s.s during the league_, a painting which is curious on account of the subject and great personnages which it represents; _a Conversion of saint Matthew_, by Valentin; _a saint Francis in prayer_, by Hannibal Carrache; _an Ecce h.o.m.o_ and a copy of the _Holy family_, by Mignard; _a death of saint Francis_, by Jouvenet; several marines, by Vernet; _a descent from the Cross_, by Lahire; _the plague of Milan_, by Lemonnier, of Rouen; and a great many others, which it would require too much room to mention here. At the extremity of the entrance gallery, we remark a statue of baked clay by Caffiery[22], representing Pierre Corneille. Several marble statues and plaster castes of the finest ancient statues, are placed in the room at the extremity of this gallery. The statues which we observe in the lobby are those of general Bonchamps, by David, and opposite, that of Achilles, by Bougron.

The latter belongs to the academy, which possesses also the magnificent painting by Mr Court, representing _Corneille complimented in the theatre by the great Conde_ and the fine _portrait of Boieldieu_, by Mr Boullenger de Boisfremont. These two paintings are placed in the hall of the academy, adjoining that of the library and picture gallery; strangers are permitted to see them.

During the month of July, there is an exhibition of paintings, princ.i.p.ally by artists of Rouen.

The establishment is open to the public on sundays and thursdays, and every day to painters and strangers, from ten till four o'clock.

The present keeper is M.H. Bellange.

[Footnote 22: Another statue of Corneille, in marble, is placed in the large hall on the ground floor; it is a much esteemed work of Cortot, a french sculptor.]

MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES.

_At Saint-Mary's, rue Poussin._

This museum, which was established in 1833, after a proposition of Mr Dupont-Delporte, prefect, by the general council of the departement, was opened to the public in 1834. It occupies two of the galleries of the cloister of the ancient convent of Saint-Mary. In the first gallery are the gallic, roman and gallo-roman antiquities, as also those of the middle ages; in the second, those of the period, termed the _renaissance_. This chronological order has been preserved as much as possible. The searches which have taken place in different parts of the departement, and especially in the roman theatre at Lillebonne, have produced the greater number of antiquities. A great many others are through the generosity of private individuals. This museum contains statues, busts, bas-reliefs, fragments of architecture, sarcophagi, urns of marble and stone; vases of bronze, gla.s.s and baked earth; gallic and roman medals, pieces of french coins, seals of the middle ages, stained gla.s.s, arms, pieces of furniture, utensils and ornaments of different ages.

This museum is open on sundays and holy days from eleven till four o'clock, and on tuesdays and thursdays for amateurs and strangers, from twelve till three o'clock.

The keeper is Mr A. Deville.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

_At Saint-Mary's, rue Poussin._

The munic.i.p.al administration of Rouen founded the gallery of natural history, in 1827; but, it was only in the year 1832, and after having been enriched by the administration of that time, that it was judged fit to be offered to public curiosity.