Saint Victor in Paris in Département de Paris, Île-de-France, France — Western Europe
La porte Saint-Bernard / The Saint Bernard Gate
— Histoire de Paris —
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 26, 2022
1. La porte Saint-Bernard / The Saint Bernard Gate Marker
Un peu au sud du château de la Tournelle et de la tour de l'enceinte de Philippe-Auguste, la muraille est percée au XVe siècle d'une porte, baptisée en souvenir de l'illustre abbé de Cîteaux, dont le collège s'élève à proximité. Elle enjambe l'ancien chemin de halage, désormais lieu de promenades et de baignades. Henri IV aimait venir y nager avec son fils, afin de l'aguerrir; il décide en 1606 de la faire reconstruire, sous la forme d'un bâtiment carré surmonté d'un comble en pavillon. En 1674, pour remercier Louis XIV d'avoir supprimé les taxes levées sur les marchandises qui arrivaient au port Saint-Bernard, le prévôt des marchands et les échevins demandent à François Blondel d'en faire un arc de triomphe à la gloire du monarque. La présence de logements dans la partie supérieure de l'édifice conduit architecte à percer deux arches basses jumelées, au lieu d'une seule grande arcade. Sur les bas-reliefs, d'un côté le Roi-Soleil apporte l'abondance à la Ville, de l'autre, vêtu à l'antique, il conduit la nef parisienne, flanquée de néréides et de tritons. Le monument subsiste jusqu'en 1787.
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A little to the south of the Château de la Tournelle and the tower of the city walls of Philippe-Auguste, the walls were pierced in the 15th century by an entrance gate, christened in memory of the illustrious Abbot of Cîteaux, whose college was located nearby. It spanned the old towpath, which is now a place for walking and swimming. Henri IV liked to go there and swim with his son, in order to toughen him up; in 1606 he decided to have the gate rebuilt, in the form of a square building surmounted by a pavilion attic. In 1674, to thank Louis XIV for having abolished the taxes levied on the goods which arrived at the port of Saint-Bernard, the provost of the merchants and the aldermen asked François Blondel to make it a triumphal arch to the glory of the monarch. The presence of housing in the upper part of the building led the architect to employ two low paired arches, instead of a single large arcade. On the bas-reliefs, on one side the Sun King (Louis XIV) brings abundance to the City, on the other, dressed in antique style, he commands the Parisian ship of state, flanked by nereids and tritons. The gate was dismantled in 1787.
Erected by Ville de Paris.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture •
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 26, 2022
2. La porte Saint-Bernard / The Saint Bernard Gate Marker - wide view
Location. 48° 50.977′ N, 2° 21.348′ E. Marker is in Paris, Île-de-France, in Département de Paris. It is in Saint Victor. Marker is at the intersection of Quai de la Tournelle and Rue de Fossés Saint Bernard, on the right when traveling east on Quai de la Tournelle. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Quai de la Tournelle, Paris, Île-de-France 75005, France. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Les premiers bouquinistes / The First Booksellers (within shouting distance of this marker); Rene Cassin (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); Marie Curie (about 180 meters away); Georges Pompidou (1911-1974) (about 180 meters away); Hotel Lefébure de Malmaison (about 180 meters away); Jean de la Ville de Mirmont (about 210 meters away); Felix Arvers (about 210 meters away); Henri Dutilleux (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paris.
Also see . . . Porte Saint-Bernard (Wikipedia, in French).
History (in translation): The Porte Saint-Bernard was built between 1190 and 1200 to the south of the Château de la Tournelle, just(Submitted on February 11, 2023.)a little to the east of the end of the Pont de la Tournelle…The gate was rebuilt in 1606, during the reign of Henri IV, in the form of a large square pavilion, in front of numbers 1 and 3 of the quay…When Louis XIV had the fortifications demolished, the architect François Blondel built, in 1670, the new Porte Saint-Bernard on the same model as the Portes Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin. The first stone of the new gate was laid by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, acting as Superintendent of the King's Buildings, on August 6, 1670. The commemorative plaque of this ceremony is kept in Paris at the Carnavalet Museum.Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 26, 20223. La porte Saint-Bernard / The Saint Bernard Gate Marker - wider view
Photographed By Adam Purelle (via Wikimedia Commons), circa 1680
4. La porte Saint-Bernard
Note on the gate there is visible the bas relief of Louis XIV, guiding the ship of state, as described on the marker. This is a view looking west, into the city, with the backside of Notre Dame Cathedral visible behind and to the right of the gate.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 11, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 11, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 55 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 11, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
