Old Main Bridge, Würzburg, Germany

Photo from Flickr, copyright *Checco*

Historic Site of the week

Saint-Eustache

The Church of St Eustace was built between 1532-1632. St Eustace"s is considered a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture. The church’s reputation was strong enough of the time for it to be chosen as the location for a young Louis XIV to receive communion. Mozart also chose the sanctuary as the location for his mother’s funeral. Among those baptised here as children were Richelieu, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, future Madame de Pompadour and Molière, who was also married here in the 17th century. The last rites for Anne of Austria, Turenne and Mirabeau were pronounced within its walls. Marie de Gournay is buried there.

The origins of Saint Eustache date back to 13th century. The church became a parish church in 1223, thanks to a man named Jean Alais who achieved this by taxing the baskets of fish sold nearby, as granted by King Philip Augustus. To thank such divine generosity, Alais constructed a chapel dedicated to Sainte-Agnès, a Roman martyr. The construction of the current church began in 1532, the work not being finally completed until 1637. The name of the church refers to Saint Eustace, a Roman general of the second century AD who was burned, along with his family, for converting to Christianity, and it is believed that it was the transfer of a relic of Saint Eustache from the Abbey to Saint-Denis to the Church of Saint Eustache which resulted in its naming. Jeanne Baptiste d"Albert de Luynes was baptised here.

According to tourist literature on-site, during the French Revolution the church, like most churches in Paris, was desecrated, looted, and used for a time as a barn. The church was restored after the Revolution had run its course and remains in use today. Several impressive paintings by Rubens remain in the church today. Each summer, organ concerts commemorate the premieres of Berlioz’s Te Deum and Liszt’s Christus here in 1886.

The church is an example of a Gothic structure clothed in Renaissance detail. The church is relatively short in length at 105m, but its interior is 33.45m high to the vaulting. At the main façade, the left tower has been completed in Renaissance style, while the right tower remains a stump. The front and rear aspects provide a remarkable contrast between the comparatively sober classical front and the exuberant rear, which integrates Gothic forms and organization with Classical details. The L"écoute sculpture by Henri de Miller appears outside the church, to the south. A Keith Haring sculpture stands in a chapel of the church.

The Chapel of the Virgin was built in 1640 and restored from 1801 to 1804. It was inaugurated by Pius VII on the 22nd of December, 1804 when he came to Paris for the coronation of Napoleon. The apse chapel, with a ribbed cul-de-four vault, has at its centre a sculpture of the Virgin and Child of Jean-Baptiste Pigalle that the painter Thomas Couture highlighted by three large paintings.

With 8,000 pipes, the organ is reputed to be the largest pipe organ in France, surpassing the organs of Saint Sulpice and Notre Dame de Paris. The organ originally constructed by P.-A. Ducroquet was powerful enough for the premiere of Hector Berlioz" titanic Te Deum to be performed at St-Eustache in 1855.

deepak rathour (17 months ago)
Perfect? place for day, evening or night. Doesn't matter what the time??? is , its beauty remains the same, must have place to visit. Just need beer? or wine ?. Restaurants are just 10 Meters away. If you are visiting to Würzburg, this is the heart♥️ of Würzburg.

Jeff Cordes (17 months ago)
This was a unique experience. The pedestrian bridge was filled with people enjoying the sundown, friends, and some wine. You can get a glass of wine on the bridge itself.

Daphney Frederique (17 months ago)
Best gathering in town. We went there for wine everyday while visiting. Nice view of the river and surroundings. Truly enjoyable and so close to the center of town. The bridge was our favorite stop on the way to any other venue

Lorenz Schindlbeck (18 months ago)
Old stone bridge from the 15. Century nowadays for pedestrians' and cyclists' use only. Standing tables on the upstream side for patrons of two wine shops. Impressive to watch those huge 190m long barges pass the lock.

shayan (18 months ago)
Beautiful and charming place for hang out, sightseeing, taking a few selfies, having a beer by the riverside! Usually on holidays and weekends a little crowded by people but not in an annoying way! Lots of youngsters also dropping by for a drink and hang out. There are pubs and small restaurants nearby as well.

Old Main Bridge

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

House of the Dragon Filming Locations

Historic Landmarks of Sicily

Rhodes, The Island of Knights

Historic Site of the week

Saint-Eustache

Looks like you are a history fan!