Gothic Paris Tour - Art Scenes

Gothic

PARIS

During the XII century Paris became the capital of France (the most powerful kingdom in medieval times thanks to its monks) and the birthplace of the gothic style (thanks to the knowledge brought by the Knights Templar along freemasons); but sadly most of the medieval city is gone due to urban renovations and wars — but there are some medieval buildings still standing today along side Roman ruins that make you feel you are back in Joan of Arc’s times.

Time period: 1100-1400s

Movie or book: Sleeping Beauty (1959)/The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

Soundtrack: Gregorian Chants/Troubadour songs

Fashion: black outfit, linen tunic, plus a cape

Budget: 124€ (44€ for museums + 50€ for shopping + 30€ for food)

From Reddit user Stellarslepper: Map of Paris around the year 1422 on top of the todays city; Digital, 2020

This walking tour would take you through the streets around the Île de la Cite: the neighborhood where the Romans founded Lutetia after conquering the Parissi in 52 Bc; and where the gothic style emerged and evolved from 1140s to the 1400s. The area is characterized by hidden churches, cobble stone streets with charming corners and hidden small castles. The monastic orders flourished during the early medieval times, cathedrals and abbeys pop out everywhere turning France/Germany into the most populated, powerful decentralized feudal kingdom (with the monastery of Cluny as the most influential one). Some of these monks decided to turn into knights and venture into the Middle East to capture the holy land from Muslim rulers; so the First Crusade took place from 1096-99 — and it was a success! In 1119 Hugues de Paynes and other 8 French knights created the order of The Knights Templar in Jerusalem to protect pilgrims in their voyage; and eventually they spread a lot of knowledge like: astrology, the tarot and sacred geometry — plus they brought relics like the “crown of thorns” housed in Saint Chapelle from the Middle East. Three key aspect of the gothic style: pointed arches, colorful stained glass and rose windows come from Byzantine and Islamic buildings the knights and scholars saw during the crusades. Also stone masons who claimed to be “decedents” from the builders of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem (more like keepers of traditions and knowledge) were brought to Europe to teach others how to “work the stone” — and just like that freemasonry and alchemy was born! All these knowledge was used in the construction of: Notre-Dame (1163-1345), the Walls of Philip Augustus with the Louvre castle (1190-1213) and the Palais de la Cité (1248-1314); structures that turned Paris into a major political and religious center. When the Archbishop of Bordeaux got elected as pope Clement V in 1305, he refused to move to Rome; so in 1309 he moved his court to the papal enclave at Avignon, where it remained for the next 67 years. A total of seven popes reigned at Avignon, all French and under the influence of the Capetian dynasty from Paris. By the XIV century Paris became the biggest city in Europe with: craftsmen organized in guilds, a powerful noble class/clergy and a lot of poor people. Sadly the population got highly affected by the black plague in 1348; and from then on an eternal war between the Valois dynasty and the Plantagenet dynasty over the French throne (which culminated with the short English occupation of Paris from 1420 till 1436) decimated the city — putting an end to the gothic mystical times. The tour suggests visiting a castle and 3 churches, including the bell towers of Notre-Dame in the morning; fondue, the Cluny Museum and another castle in the afternoon; and to end the day dinner and shopping around Le Village Saint-Paul and a night medieval walking tour.