Aître de Saint-Maclou, Rouen
N 49° 26.412 E 001° 06.026
31U E 362293 N 5478127
Quick Description: [FR] L'histoire de ce lieu étrange et exceptionnel remonte à la Grande Peste noire de 1348. [EN] The history of this strange place dates back to the Great Plague of 1348.
Location: France
Date Posted: 8/4/2009 11:11:16 AM
Waymark Code: WM6Y52
Views: 1
Long Description:[FR] La Grande Peste noire de 1348 tua les trois-quarts des
habitants du quartier. C'est ainsi que l'on dû ouvrir un nouveau
cimetière : le grand aître saint Maclou. Trois des galeries qui
entourent le cimetière ont été construites entre 1526 et 1533 pour
servir d'ossuaire. Leur décor est macabre : crânes, ossements,
outils de fossoyeur, objets de culte dans les rites mortuaires.
La galerie sud a toujours servi d'école et l'ensemble abrite
aujourd'hui l'Ecole Régionale des Beaux Arts. Dans une vitrine,
près de la porte d'entrée, on a placé un squelette de chat
découvert dans un mur. Il s'agissait sans doute d'un chat noir (le
diable) enfermé vivant dans la maçonnerie pour éloigner le mauvais
sort.
Acces est par une allee donnant sur la rue Martainville.
[EN] Thousands died in Rouen and a new cemetery had to be
opened: the Aître Saint-Maclou. Plague victims were buried here in
large communal graves.
Three of the galleries that surround the cemetery were built
between 1526 and 1533 to serve as an ossuary, or charnel house.
They were transformed in the 18th century.
Their decorations evoke their original purpose. On the horizontal
beams, skulls and crossbones can be seen alongside gravediggers'
tools and objects related to the cult of the dead.
On the columns, Death leads Life in a danse macabre from which
there is no return. The south gallery (17th century) was never used
as a charnel house but rather as a school. Today, the
Aître St. Maclou is home to the regional fine arts school.
A glass case near the entrance displays a cat's skeleton that was
found in one of the walls. It was most probably a black cat -
thought to be an incarnation of the Devil - that was plastered into
the masonry, alive, in order to ward off evil spirits.
Access is via an alleyway off the rue Martainville.
Visit Instructions:[EN] Include at minimum a complete sentence which reflects your
experience visiting the site and upload a photo taken by you at the
site.
[FR] Ecrivez au moins une phrase complète qui décrira votre
expérience lors de la visite et téléchargez une photo du site prise
par vous.