Maurice de Sully
In the 12th century, Maurice de Sully was an influential bishop. Renowned in England for his sermons, he also enjoyed the trust of the French royal family. An ambitious builder, he founded several churches, abbeys, and hospices in his diocese and reorganized its fiefs and revenues. However, his major work remains the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris. He had it built starting in 1160 on the site of the existing Saint-Étienne cathedral. The redevelopment of the urban plan around the cathedral facilitated access.
An Edifice of Extraordinary Dimensions
The architect of the building, whose name remains unknown, designed an edifice of exceptional dimensions: 127 meters long, 40 meters wide, and 33 meters high. Until the mid-13th century, the cathedral was one of the largest religious monuments in the Western world. The construction techniques pioneered at the Saint-Denis Basilica continued at Notre-Dame. Immediately considered masterpieces, these new religious buildings testified to a new architectural style then called “Opus Francigenum.” The concept and style served as a model in France and Europe before falling out of favor during the Renaissance. The Italians then renamed this style “gotico,” a pejorative term referring to the art of the Goths.
Radiant Gothic Art
Bishops Eudes de Sully (1196-1208), Pierre de Nemours (1208-1219), and Guillaume de Seignelay (1220-1223) succeeded each other until the cathedral’s completion. Maurice de Sully’s project was revised around 1220-1230 to bring more light into the nave:
- Modification of the upper parts
- Addition of a walkway
- Openwork towers
- Modification of the high windows
- Complete reconstruction of the framework
- Integration of a complex rainwater drainage system into the roof.
This monumental style is known as “Radiant Gothic.”
