John Bell Henneman, Jr.
Although the town of Évreux was largely destroyed in World War II, some medieval
buildings have survived. Overlooking the Eure, a bulky 17th-century mask covers the
12th-century twin towers of the cathedral of Notre-Dame and conceals the edges of the
Gothic rose window. This strange façade prepares the visitor for the conglomeration of
styles within. In 1119, Henry I of England burned the original church, dedicated in 1076–
- Construction took place sometime in the 12th century, but another fire in 1196
destroyed the fabric above the arcade, as shown by the Romanesque cluster piers and
simply molded arcades that subside to late 13th-century triforium and clerestory. This
fusion of Gothic and Romanesque elements continues throughout the eight-bay nave with
side aisles and 13th-14th-century lateral chapels. The later 13th-century triforium is part
of the same building campaign, which continues in the clerestory and choir. The four-bay
13th-14th-century choir terminates in a seven-sided east end with single ambulatory, four
radiating chapels, and threebay chevet. On the exterior, a Flamboyant north-transept
portal flaunts lacy gables and crossing tower, in contrast to the 16th-century Renaissance
classicism of the west portal. Some heraldic and figural stained glass from the 14th and
15th centuries remains in the ground-level and triforium windows, but modern glass
dominates.
On the south side of the cathedral, the 15th-century cloister was originally two stories
tall but has been reduced to one. A 15th-century bishop’s residence also survives.
Named after the local St. Taurinus, the founder of the diocese of Évreux, the church of
Saint-Taurin has a stylistically variegated fabric. The structure consists of elements from
the first quarter of the 12th century to the 18th. The 17th-18th-century façade leads to a
three-story interior with a Romanesque north elevation and a south elevation from the
Renaissance. The 12th-century north elevation has bulky cruciform piers and a round-
headed arcade, with a later triforium and clerestory. Three sides of the polygonal east end
hold 15th-century stained glass with scenes from the life of St. Taurin. Housed in this
east end is the 13th-century gilt-silver reliquary of St. Taurin, produced by a Parisian
atelier and representative of ornate Gothic house shrines.
Stacy L.Boldrick
[See also: CHARLES II THE BAD; PHILIP IV THE FAIR; VALOIS DYNASTY]
Évreux (Eure), plan of Notre-Dame.
After Bonnefant.
Autrand, Françoise. Charles VI. Paris: Fayard, 1986.
Bonnenfant, Georges. La cathédrale d’Évreux. Paris: Laurens, 1925.
Cazelles, Raymond. “Le parti navarrais jusqu’à la mort d’Étienne Marcel.” Bulletin philologique et
historique 2(1960):839–69.
——. Société politique, noblesse et couronne sous Jean le Bon et Charles V.Geneva: Droz, 1982.
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