Basilique Notre-Dame de l'Épine
1, rue Emile Barbier, 51460 L'Épine
At the beginning of the XIIIth century is certified the existence of a chapel Notre-Dame of the Prickle. From 1405, it is known as purpose of pilgrimage mattering in champagne(Champagne) and beyond. He(It) results from it, from 1406, the construction of the current church, which extends until 1527\. His(Her) name comes to him(her) of the devotion carried to a statue representing The Virgin(Virgo) carrying the Child-Jesus who, according to a known legend in the XVIIth century and who evolved then, would have been found by shepherds in Middle Ages in a burning(passionate) bush of prickles. The church Notre-Dame of the Prickle was raised to the rank of basilica in 1914.
The basilica in dimensions(size) of cathedral is of Gothic style. The facade, which draws inspiration very probably from that of the cathedral of Toul contains three portals(gates) topped with two arrows. That of right measures 55 metres; that of left, levelled off in 1798 to allow the installation of one telegraph Chappe, was rebuilt in 1868\. Indoors, it is possible to admire a rood screen of the end of the XVth century from which the right(straight) arcade shelters the statue of the virgin at the origin of the fame of the place.
The basilica was listed(classified) in conformance with(for) historic monuments in 1840 and registered in 1998 on the list of the world heritage by the UNESCO in conformance with(for) the paths(ways) of Santiago de Compostela in France. Notre-Dame of the Prickle always struck the travellers and inspired the writers, especially Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Paul Claudel, Paul Fort. (wikipedia)
Etiquetas
Patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO, Édifice religieux, Monument historique
C. Manquillet
