Sorbonne Chapel
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Sorbonne Chapel, Paris
| native_name = {{lang|fr|Chapelle Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne}}
| infobox_width =
| image = P1300737 Paris V chapelle La Sorbonne rwk.jpg
| caption = Sorbonne Chapel west facade and dome
| location = 17 Rue de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement of Paris (nearest Metro: Cluny-Sorbonne)
}}
The Chapel of Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne, also known as the Sorbonne Chapel, was the chapel for the Roman Catholic students and faculty of the College of Sorbonne in Paris in the 18th century, then for the university faculties of Paris in the 20th century. It is located at 17 Rue de la Sorbonne in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. It was commissioned in 1626 by Cardinal Richelieu whose tomb was placed there after his death in 1642. It is the only building remaining from the 17th century university.
As if May 2025, the chapel is still closed to the public for major renovation.
History
In 1257, Robert de Sorbon, the chaplain and confessor of King Louis IX of France, persuaded the King to open a college of theology in Paris. The new college became a major European center for European theological studies, and an active participamnt in the battle against Protestantism in 16th century and against Jansenism in the 18th century.
By the 17th century, the buildings of the early Sorbonne college were in dismal condition. Cardinal Richelieu, the proviseur of the Sorbonne and a minister of state of King Louis XIV, persuaded the King to rebuild the college.Dumoulin, Aline and Jerome Maingard, "Chapelles de Paris", Massin publishers, Paris, (2012) The previous chapel was demolished; the outline of its previous location now is marked on the tiles of the Courtyard of Honor. Construction of the new chapel began in 1627.
The architect of the new chapel was Jacques Lemercier, who had constructed a palace for Cardinal Richelieu (now the Palais-Royale,)Dumoulon, p. 20 (2012) {{Base Mérimée|PA00088485|Sorbonne (La)}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Lemercier|title=Jacques Lemercier {{!}} French architect|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2018-05-24|language=en}}. The interior of the dome was painted by Philippe de Champaigne,{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3675207/Philippe-de-Champaigne-Politics-and-Spirituality.html?image=6|title=Philippe de Champaigne: Politics and Spirituality|date=2007-04-25|access-date=2018-05-24|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web|url=http://artknowledgenews.com/200703293120/Philippe_de_Champaigne.html|title=Philippe de Champaigne Retrospective at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille {{!}} Art Knowledge News|website=artknowledgenews.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-05-24}} while François Girardon sculpted Richelieu's tomb which originally stood in the church.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wga.hu/html_m/g/girardon/richelig.html|title=GIRARDON, François|website=web Gallery of Art|access-date=May 24, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://richelieu-eminencerouge.blogspot.com.au/2007/10/franois-girardon-and-tomb-of-richelieu.html|title=Éminence Rouge: François Girardon and the tomb of Richelieu in the Sorbonne Chapel.|last=Proust|first=Abbé Henri|date=2007-10-26|website=Éminence Rouge|access-date=2018-05-24}}{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.universalis.fr/encyclopedie/francois-girardon/ |title=FRANÇOIS GIRARDON |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Universalis |language=fr |access-date=2018-05-24}} Construction lasted from 1627 and `1648. the year of Richelieu's death. At his request his tomb was placed in the chapel.{{Cite news|url=https://www.histoires-de-paris.fr/college-sorbonne-sous-richelieu/|title=Le collège de la Sorbonne sous Richelieu - Histoires de Paris|date=2018-05-10|work=Histoires de Paris|access-date=2018-05-24|language=fr-FR}}
During the French Revolution the chapel was declared a Temple of Reason and stripped of all its ornament. It was not returned to the Catholic church until 1822.Dumoulin, "Chapelles de Paris" (2012), p. 22
In 1887 it was registered as a national historical monument, joined in 1975 by other structures of the Sorbonne complex. As of 2025, the chapel was open to visits by reservation only. For information about visits, contact VISITES.SORBONNE@ACPARIS.FR
File:Elevation chapelle sorbonne.png|Elevation of the facade
L'Architecture française (Marot) BnF RES-V-371 103r-f214 Église de la Sorbonne, Profil du dedans et de la cour (adjusted).jpg|Cross section
L'Architecture française (Marot) BnF RES-V-371 104r-f216 Église de la Sorbonne, Profil (longitudinal en perspective, vue du nord) (adjusted).jpg|Cross section viewed from north
Exterior - The Facades and Dome
The plan of the church displayed a combination of two different types of building. The west facade of the church, facing with the city and Place de la Sorbonne, broke with the traditional Gothic three levels and followed the Romanesque style of the Counter-Reform, with two superimposed orders, with Corinthian columns on the lower level and composite pilasters on the uuper level.Dumoulin, p. 22
The north facade faces the Courtyard of Honor, the central courtyard of the college. It is the original facade, and takes the form of a classir portico with Corinthian columns and a entablature inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.Dumoulin, p. 22
The dome was the first Paris dome to use the classic Roman model of a cupola topped by a lantern. It was soon imitated in Paris by the chapel of Val-De-Grace and on an even larger scale by royal church of Les Invalides.Dumoulin, p. 23
File:Chapelle Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne, Paris 001.jpg|North facade from the Court of Honor
File:Sorbonne (49627863693).jpg|The west facade and the Place de la Sorbonne
File:Chapelle de la Sorbonne.JPG|West faade
Interior
The dome, over the transept, divides the interior of the church into two parts, the nave and choir, of equal size. They are bordered by lateral chapels. Most of the interior art and decoration dates to the 17h century
File:Plan Sorb.png|Plan, with altar center-right, and choir and Richelieu Tomb at the top
File:Chapelle de la Sorbonne interieur.jpg|The Choir with tomb of Cardinal Richelieu in the chapel at the far end
File:Chapelle de la sorbonne interior.jpg|Ceiling and dome of the chapel
= Tomb of Cardinal Richelieu =
The Tomb of Cardinal Richelieu, made of Carrera marble, is an emblematic work of French 17th century sculpture. It was made by Francois Girardon (1628-1715), and was not actually completed until 1694, fifty-two years after the death of the Cardinal. It is placed in an open space, with the Cardinal in his ceremonial habit, reclining and gazing toward the altar, as if he were peacefully awaiting his death. It is accompanied by two allegorical figures ; a Pieta, the traditional figure of piety and faith,kneeling calmly behind him, and a figure representing Doctrine, collapsed in tears at the foot of his bed.Dumoulin, p. 26
File:Cenotaph richelieu (cropped).jpg|Tomb of Cardinal Richelieu with smiling figure symbolizing "Faith"
File:Paris (75005) La Sorbonne Chapelle Sainte-Ursule Tombeau du Cardinal de Richelieu 04.JPG|Grieving figure symbolizing "Doctrine"
Art and Decoration
The cupola inside the dome is decorated with a group of four frescoes by Philippe de Champagne (1602-1674). They were painted between 1641 and 1644, a depict four of the most prominent theologians of the Christian church; Saint Gregory; Saint Ambrose; Saint Augustine and Saint Jerome.Dumoulin, pg. 26
Much of the art and decoration in the chapel was added in the 19th century. The largest painting, called "Theology", is located in the right arm of the transept. It was painted by Louis-Charles Timbal (1821-1880) and depicts a theologian reading a religious text before an altar, surrounded by a group of figures of famous theologians and clerics from antiquity to the 19th century, a reminder that the Sorbonne was first and foremost a school of theology. Timbale painted a series of works depicting prominent saints and angels around the choir.Dumoulin, pg. 24
File:Paris (75005) La Sorbonne Chapelle Sainte-Ursule Coupole Pendentif 01.JPG|"Saint Ambrose" fresco below dome by Philippe de Champagne
File:Louis Charles Timbal - Esquisse pour la chapelle de la Sorbonne - Le Christ au tombeau - PPP4802 - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris.jpg |"Christ at the Tomb" by Louis Charles Timbale
Notes and Citations
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== Sources ==
- Dumoulin, Aline and Maingard, Jerome, "Chapelles de Paris", Editions Massin, 2012 (in French)
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{{Coord|48.84843|2.34318|format=dms|type:landmark_region:FR|display=title}}
Category:Roman Catholic chapels in France
Category:Roman Catholic churches in the 5th arrondissement of Paris