Paris and Her Cathedrals - Hardcover

by R. Howard Bloch (Author)

"So infectious is R. Howard Bloch's passion for his subject that even those unable to do the traveling required will find in Paris and Her Cathedrals an inspiring guide to these time-hallowed masterpieces of medieval culture." --Colin Jones, author of Paris and The Great Nation

Over the years, R. Howard Bloch has become renowned for the insider tours of Paris that he gives to students abroad. Long sought after by travelers and history buffs for his near-encyclopedic knowledge of French cathedrals, the eminent French literature scholar finally shares his expertise with a wider audience.

In Paris and Her Cathedrals, six of the most sublime cathedrals in the penumbra of Paris--Saint-Denis, Notre-Dame, Chartres, Sainte-Chapelle, Amiens, Reims--are illumined in magnificent detail as Bloch, taking us from the High Middle Ages to the devastating fire that set Notre-Dame ablaze in 2019, traces the evolution of each in turn. Written from the premise that "seeing is enhanced by knowing," each chapter is organized along the lines of a walk around and then through the space of the cathedral, such that the actual or virtual visitor feels the rich sweep of the church, "the essence of these architectural wonders" (Antonia Felix).

Animating the past with lush evocations of architectural splendor--from flying buttresses and jewel-encrusted shrines to hidden burial grounds and secret chambers--Bloch then contextualizes the cathedrals within the annals of French history. Here thrilling tales of kingly intrigue--as in Saint-Chapelle, where the pious King Louis IX amassed relics, including Christ's crown of thorns--and audacious abbots are interspersed with anecdotes about the meeting of aristocratic and everyday life, culminating in "a rich, colorful narrative that clearly but expertly explains the history and symbolism of some of the world's most magnificent buildings" (Ross King).

To be read in preparation for an enlightened visit or merely to open a window upon the High Middle Ages in France, Paris and Her Cathedrals is a "revelation," an "indispensable guide" (Garry Wills) to these awe-inspiring structures. Complete with the author's own photographs, this beautifully illustrated volume vitally enhances our understanding of the history of Paris and its environs.

Back Jacket

R. Howard Bloch has written a guidebook with a difference. . . . He allows us to enter the minds of the builders and the worshippers, both saints and sinners, and to appreciate their faith, miracles, and stupendous artistic abilities. A must-read for all Francophiles and history buffs.
--Ross King, author of Brunelleschi's Dome

"When my wife and I went to Chartres, Henry Adams was our guide. . . . Now I learn from R. Howard Bloch how little we and Adams knew. Paris and Her Cathedrals tells us the source of the different stones used in the building and how they got there, how they were carved and paid for, and what all the figures mean, as well as how the windows were made and what they mean. For the other cathedrals we visited, we had to bump along with lesser guides, along with our own hunches and ignorance. Now all that is blessedly buried in darkness."
--Garry Wills, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Henry Adams and the Making of America

"Paris and Her Cathedrals will vastly enrich the traveler's experience with a full-tilt trip into twelfth-century France's breakthrough architecture as well as royal intrigue, crusades, art, legends, and lifestyles of each tier of society. My next visit to France will be much richer thanks to this delightful read."
--Antonia Felix, New York Times best-selling author of Notre-Dame de Paris

"R. Howard Bloch magically interweaves descriptions of complicated architectural, sculptural, and stained-glass elements with a vivid portrayal of medieval life. . . . A riveting as well as magnificently informative book."
--Paul Freedman, author of American Cuisine

"R. Howard Bloch wears his great learning with elegance and grace. Whether he writes about theology or architecture his authority is impeccable. At every stage he has a vivid tale to tell, a striking anecdote to relate. . . . One can imagine no more precious vade mecum, no more engaging companion. This is the best guide we now have to the cathedrals of Paris and its orbit."
--David A. Freedberg, author of The Power of Images