Billed as the gateway to Burgundy, Sens is a town that had its glory years in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
At that time, the archbishop here was exerting serious power; future popes studied at Sens and Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury lived in exile here. These times are recounted at the town’s museum in the episcopal and synodal palaces, with one of the richest displays of medieval art in France. Sens is always keen to show off its architecture, whether that’s a restored section of the Gallo-Roman walls or a gorgeous half-timbered house with intricate wood carvings. And on summer nights go to the main square to see a brilliant light show on the cathedral. Discover the best things to do in Sens.
[toc]
1. Sens Cathedral
The town cathedral stands out for all sorts of reasons: The largest of these is the earliest gothic church in France, beginning in 1135. It was also larger than any of the churches being built at this time.
William of Sens, the architect who designed the choir, also worked on the UNESCO-listed choir at Canterbury Cathedral in England. The Flamboyant Gothic sculpted facade on the north transept is from the start of the 16th century and has astonishing workmanship.
If there’s one thing you need to see inside it’s the stained glass windows. These dates from the 1100s to the 1500s, with a sequence depicting the story of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered in 1170.
2. Palais Synodal
Next to the church is a gothic palace built between 1230 and 1240 by Archbishop Gauthier. In the 19th century, it was declared a French Historic Monument and restored by Viollet-le-Duc, the celebrated architect responsible for breathing new life into medieval monuments around the country.
The building housed the ecclesiastical court and in the former jail cells on the first floor, you can still see messages scratched by prisoners in the walls, going back to medieval times.
On the upper floor is the grand hall, where the synods were held; this has diagonal ribbed vaults lit by Gothic windows with delicate rosettes. You can admire them on the tour at the Musées de Sens.
3. Musées de Sens
In the sumptuous episcopal palace is a set of museums with one of France’s great ensembles of medieval art. These galleries include collections of Sens Archeology, warehouses of mosques and various donations from time to time.
Prepare to be blown away if you’re into history as there’s a Bronze Age treasure, a whole room of Roman stone carvings from the old town walls, stunning 15th-century tapestries, Thomas Becket’s vestments, silverware and tons of medieval sculpture.
The art collection here contains two bronze paintings by Rodin and the Renaissance by Breughel the Younger and Abel Grimmer.
4. Marché Couvert
Fronting the cathedral, Sens’ covered market dates to 1882 and has recently been given a makeover. This building, with a strange triangular footprint, couldn’t be anywhere else in France as you’ll tell from the patterned brickwork in the same style as Burgundy’s glazed roofs.
It combines Burgundian tradition with the Baltard design that was fashionable for covered markets in the 19th century: There’s a large cast-iron frame supporting a glass canopy that bathes the interior in light.
There’s a food market here on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings, with stalls spilling out onto the square in front on Mondays and Fridays.
5. Poterne Garnier des Prés
At this enthralling little fragment of old Sens, you can see several stages of the town’s history in one wall. Take a look at the rougher lower section as these stones go all the way back to the 3rd century when an enormous, three-kilometer enclosure was built around the town.
The base materials are recycled from temples, bathrooms, and even funeral monuments. The postern, a small opening in the wall for escapes and surprise attacks on besieging armies, is also from this time.
The rounded tower on the corner is later, from the 13th-century when the defenses were updated.
6. Maison d’Abraham
Another glimpse of medieval Sens, the Maison d’Abraham is a 16th-century half-timbered house at a crossroads in the old town, with some creative carpentry. It’s a building that merits a few minutes because of the many carvings on its timbers.
There are decorative patterns, filigrees, cherubs and medallions with portraits. But the most detailed carvings are on the corner supports. This has been sculpted into the Jesse Tree, which represents the ancestors of Christ.
7. Old Centre
For a small town, Sens has a lot of listed historic monuments, in the shape of Renaissance wooden houses and luxurious mansions from the 18th century. The only problem is that nearly all of these are private properties, but you can plot a route around the town to find the best examples.
There are more than 20 noteworthy buildings on streets that follow the same pattern as to when the Gallo-Roman walls were built 1,800 years back. A few that deserve mention here are half-timbered Maison du Portal and Maison Jean Cousin, both from the 1500s and the cultured Hôtel Vezou which used to Sens’ town hall.
8. Parc du Moulin à Tan
This 10-hectare park is irrigated by the Vanne and the Lingue, two tributaries of the Yonne River. It was landscaped in the 1880s as a green buffer between the town and countryside.
In the last few years, it has gained the title “jardin remarquable” and has a mosaic of spaces like the wild rose garden, stations to watch the waterfowl, children’s playgrounds, arboretum, and a small menagerie.
During the week you can book an informative tour of the park’s greenhouses with the gardener, or have a look around by yourself in the afternoons.
9. Théâtre Municipal
Provincial theatres of this type are difficult to find in France today. Sens Theater, built-in 1882, the same year as the covered market. The exterior has a classic design, while the interior is inspired by the Italian Renaissance, and flush with gilded plaster.
The building fell into disuse in the 70s and was almost turned into a bus station before being rescued and reopened in the 80s. Some of the performances staged here in the 36 seasons since then are Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Don Juan, Siegfried and the Marriage of Figaro.
Artists welcomed during that time include Michel Portal, Alexandre Lagoya and Kenny Garrett.
10. Église Saint-Maurice
With a very photogenic location on Île dieuYonne, Église Saint-Maurice is a 12th-century church built for the Sens river folk. This island was a base for fishermen and people operating the old horse-drawn boats that would transport wine between Auxerre and Paris.
The church looks lovely from Pont bat Yonne thanks to the slate tower. The pillars, wall arcades, and apse are Romanesque and all go back to the 1100s, while the flat, half-timbered chevet and vaults are Gothic and from the 1500s.
More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in Sassari
from : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-sens-709859.html
from Wiki Topx
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét