| Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle | |
|---|---|
 Notre-Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of Paris |
| Region | Île-de-France |
| Rite | Roman |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 25 Rue de la Lune, 2nd arrondissement |
 Interactive map of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle | |
| Coordinates | 48°52′10.5″N2°20′59.5″E / 48.869583°N 2.349861°E /48.869583; 2.349861 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Neoclassical |
| Groundbreaking | 1823 (1823) |
| Completed | 1830 (1830) |
| Official name: Notre-Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle | |
| Designated | 1983 |
| Reference no. | PA00086016[1] |
| Denomination | Église |
Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle (French pronunciation:[nɔtʁədamdəbɔnnuvɛl]), located at 25 Rue de la Lune, inthe 2nd arrondissement of Paris and is aCatholic parish church built between 1823 and 1830. It is built in theNeoclassical style, and is dedicated toNotre-Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle ("our lady of good news"), referring to theAnnunciation. The neighbourhood ofBonne-Nouvelle, theBoulevard de Bonne-Nouvelle (one of theGrand Boulevards that replaced theLouis XIII wall in 1709) and theBonne Nouvelle metro station are named after it. The church was registered as a national historical monument in 1983.[2]
The first chapel was built on the site in 1551, originally dedicated to Saint Louis and Saint Barbara, then rededicated to the Bonne Nouvelle, or theAnnunciation of the coming of Christ. This first church was destroyed 1591 by theCatholic League during the siege of Paris by the futureHenry IV. QueenAnne of Austria laid the first stone of a new church in 1628. During the French Revolution, the building was badly damaged and in 1823 finally had to be pulled down.[3]
The new church was built between 1823 and 1830 by the architectÉtienne-Hippolyte Godde in theneoclassical style, which was very popular following the Restoration of the French Monarchy.[4]
The facade of the church, facing north, is modelled after an ancient Roman basilica, with twoDoric order columns forming aperistyle over the porch. The bell tower is the only surviving vestige of the earlier 17th-century exterior.
.jpg)
Since the church is surrounded by other taller buildings, the interior of the church is dimly lit. The altar, beneath the dome, is lit by a skylight and three chandeliers. The nave and choir are lined with rows of Doric columns creating arcades with rounded arches.
.jpg)
.jpg)
The most distinctive feature of the interior is the large octagonalBaptismal Font in center. It is designed for full-immersion baptisms, with the person baptized completely immersed in the water, rather than priest simply touching water on their face. It is one of the sevensacraments which mark entry into a Christian life, a ceremony dating back to ancient Christian church. The octagonal font is surrounded with mosaics which depict the symbols of the four Evangelists; a lion (Saint Mark), a bull (Saint Luke), an eagle (Saint John) and a man with wings (Saint Matthew). The seven step represent the seven capital sins. The steps stop at bronze and nickel cross set into the floor.[5]
.jpg)
The choir of the church displays paintings by three notable Baroque artists from the 16th and 17th centuries.
.jpg)
The church organ was built by John Abbey at the end of the 19th century, then was restored in 1950 by Joseph Gutschenritter, and again in 1988 by Jean-Marc Cicchero.
