06/12: Week 10 - Saintes
Saintes is a city of about 27,000 people on the banks of the river La Charente. Two thousand years ago, this spot was a Roman city called Medialonum, the political capital of the province Aquitaine. Today what's visible are the remains of the ampitheater, the entry arch de Germanicus, the ruins of the baths, the aquaduct, and fragments collected in the city's Archaeology Museum.
The rich history of the city continues through the middle ages, includes a pilgrimage site, Eglise Saint-Eutrope, that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France". The church was started in the 11th century and consists of a lower sanctuary in the romanesque style and an upper gothic sanctuary.
Saintes is also home to one of the 80 or 90 cathedrals in France, La Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. The Cathedral was realized between the 13th and 16th century. The roof over the nave was destroyed and today ghostlines of the former roofline and fragments of the upper flying buttresses bear evidence to the tall and narrow proportions of the high gothic design.
The medieval walls of the city have largely disappeared, replaced by mixed retail and residential buildings overlooking the river. Today, the city's population remains steady, but it is aging and the household size is just under 2 persons per household. From an environmental standpoint, their biggest concern is when the river floods. There are several large protected wetlands a few steps from the historic city center that provide relief for the river and citizens, and habitat for threatened birds and plants. On a cliff overlooking town is the recently vacated site of Hôpital Saint-Louis, that includes a historic stone chapel and edifice prominately located on the hilltop. The city is currently judging a master plan competition for this immense site. Results of the competition are scheduled to be announced in January 2010. Four major redevelopment projects of 1950's and 1960's housing developments (Les Grands Assemblies) are also in the planning stages. All efforts are focused on making the city more livable, and efforts to improve the environmental footprint of the city are being assessed and undertaken on an urban scale (including parking, pedestrian streets, public transit, etc).
The Atelier du Patrimoine de Saintonage is an important component of the city's public outreach. Saintes bears the label "Villes et Pays d'Art et Historie", based on its rich heritage I have only briefly touched on above. The Atelier has created a museum on the history of Saintes, gives tours of local landmarks, works with school groups and university students on all aspects of heritage, how to maintain its vitality and share it with others. The Atelier is also very active in engaging the public in learning about restoration techniques and in thinking about the future of under-utilized spaces such as Hôpital Saint-Louis.
Many thanks to Jean Rouger, Mayor of Saintes, who opened the city doors for me. I also greatly appreciate the time of Isabelle Oberson, Director; Elisabeth Dameron Dupas, who is responsible for the Atelier's educational programs; and all the others with the Atelier du Patrimoine de Saintonage who graciously shared with me the wonders of their town and their visions for its future. Also thanks to Céline Marmet, who is adeptly leading the ambitious urban redevelopment projects within Saintes.
(I will add photos later! In the meantime, you can see images of the city on the Saintes Office of Tourism website; it's in English and French. )
The rich history of the city continues through the middle ages, includes a pilgrimage site, Eglise Saint-Eutrope, that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France". The church was started in the 11th century and consists of a lower sanctuary in the romanesque style and an upper gothic sanctuary.
Saintes is also home to one of the 80 or 90 cathedrals in France, La Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. The Cathedral was realized between the 13th and 16th century. The roof over the nave was destroyed and today ghostlines of the former roofline and fragments of the upper flying buttresses bear evidence to the tall and narrow proportions of the high gothic design.
The medieval walls of the city have largely disappeared, replaced by mixed retail and residential buildings overlooking the river. Today, the city's population remains steady, but it is aging and the household size is just under 2 persons per household. From an environmental standpoint, their biggest concern is when the river floods. There are several large protected wetlands a few steps from the historic city center that provide relief for the river and citizens, and habitat for threatened birds and plants. On a cliff overlooking town is the recently vacated site of Hôpital Saint-Louis, that includes a historic stone chapel and edifice prominately located on the hilltop. The city is currently judging a master plan competition for this immense site. Results of the competition are scheduled to be announced in January 2010. Four major redevelopment projects of 1950's and 1960's housing developments (Les Grands Assemblies) are also in the planning stages. All efforts are focused on making the city more livable, and efforts to improve the environmental footprint of the city are being assessed and undertaken on an urban scale (including parking, pedestrian streets, public transit, etc).
The Atelier du Patrimoine de Saintonage is an important component of the city's public outreach. Saintes bears the label "Villes et Pays d'Art et Historie", based on its rich heritage I have only briefly touched on above. The Atelier has created a museum on the history of Saintes, gives tours of local landmarks, works with school groups and university students on all aspects of heritage, how to maintain its vitality and share it with others. The Atelier is also very active in engaging the public in learning about restoration techniques and in thinking about the future of under-utilized spaces such as Hôpital Saint-Louis.
Many thanks to Jean Rouger, Mayor of Saintes, who opened the city doors for me. I also greatly appreciate the time of Isabelle Oberson, Director; Elisabeth Dameron Dupas, who is responsible for the Atelier's educational programs; and all the others with the Atelier du Patrimoine de Saintonage who graciously shared with me the wonders of their town and their visions for its future. Also thanks to Céline Marmet, who is adeptly leading the ambitious urban redevelopment projects within Saintes.
(I will add photos later! In the meantime, you can see images of the city on the Saintes Office of Tourism website; it's in English and French. )
