Henri II, Aliénor d'Aquitaine et la cathédrale de Poitiers

Abstract

Very little is left of the archives of Poitiers cathedral, a key monument in the history of the Gothic hall church. The patronage of the cathedral is attributed to Henry and Alienor who are represented in the central stained glass window. Although no contemporary text confirms the attribution, mute evidence, such as the stylistic parallel with the village church of Jazeneuil whose choir is firmly dated 1164, points to the royal donors and to the date of construction as being the 1160s. The cathedral combines the concept of the Poitevin hall church, with its three aisles of almost equal height and the light coming only from the side aisles, with the square bays of the cupola vaulted churches as in Angouleme and Fontevraud. The monumental flat chevet is unbuttressed — a unique feature in religious architecture. But such walls do occur in castles, such as Orford in England, built by Henry's fîeld engineers, or Dover Castle also built around 1170 by Henry's army corps. Also typically used in military architecture (Dover, Chinon) is the inverted pyramidal buttress at the base of the chevet bell tower. The choir, one of the monuments of perfect balance in the development of the Plantagenet style, embodies the dignity of a restrained emphasis on structure and space, light and solidity, and seems to fulfîll its donors' dream of power and simplicity. Its construction was stopped in 1172-73 and was resumed under definite church control (the arms of the chapter are visible on the first stones then added to the structure). Changes were made (e. g. raising of the central aisle) but the ordinance of outer walls was unchanged thus preserving the concept of this royal monumental hall church.