The Saint Stephen Portal - Notre-Dame de Paris

The portal on the south transept pays homage to Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It evokes the name of the first cathedral church of Paris. Built in the 13th century, it was extensively restored in the 19th century.

Photographie du portail saint Etienne et de ses

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A Tribute to Saint Stephen

The Saint Stephen portal closes the south arm of the transept. Pierre de Montreuil completed its construction, which was initiated by Jehan de Chelles in 1258. The tympanum of the portal depicts in bas-reliefs the life of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Divided into three superimposed horizontal registers, the tympanum’s decoration is read from bottom to top and from left to right. In the lower register, Saint Stephen preaches Christianity and is then brought before the judge. The stoning of Saint Stephen and his entombment are depicted in the middle register. In the upper register, Christ surrounded by angels offers a blessing. On the trumeau, the central pillar between the two doors, stands a statue of Saint Stephen, a work by Geoffroi-Dechaume reconstructed in the 19th century.

Statues of Saints and Biblical Figures

The triple arch of the door is carved with twenty-one martyrs crowned by angels, including Saint Denis, Saint Vincent, Saint Eustace, Saint Maurice, Saint Lawrence, Saint Clement, Saint George, and others whose identities are not determined. On either side of the portal, the three statues of apostles date from the 19th-century restorations. They replace those that disappeared during the Revolution. The niches above the openwork gallery house statues of Moses and Aaron.

The Rose Window

Above the Saint Stephen portal, stained glass windows donated by Saint Louis fill the 13-meter diameter rose window. During the 19th-century restoration work, architect Viollet-le-Duc noticed a subsidence in the masonry. Additionally, the rose window had suffered over the centuries and during the fire set by insurgents in 1830. To consolidate it, he reinforced the facade and rotated the rose window 15° on its vertical axis. Master glassmaker Alfred Gérente restored the 13th-century stained glass and recreated the missing medallions in the spirit of the Middle Ages.

The Gable

Pierced with an openwork rose proportionate to the large rose window, the gable is located at the top of the facade above the rose window. It illuminates the attic of the transept. A gallery runs behind the balustrade, allowing one to walk along the cathedral’s roofs from east to west. Two large pinnacles flanking the gable form the upper parts of the buttresses. Three statues decorate the summit, representing Saint Martin and Saint Stephen, and Christ appearing in a dream to Saint Martin who, according to legend, gives his cloak to the poor.