Notre-Dame de Brebières

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The leaning Virgin
DOVER
The Basilica
DUNKERQUE
CALAIS
The other legend
Pays du Coquelicot < Somme < Picardie < France
A25
YPRES
(IEPER)
A16
LILLE
A1 VALENCIENNES
From Arras-Lille, A1 highway,
exit 14 (Bapaume)
CAMBRAI
ALBERT
A16
AMIENS
A29
A29
ROUEN
A2
BAPAUME
ABBEVILLE
A28
ARRAS
LE HAVRE
A29
A26
PÉRONNE
A29
ST-QUENTIN
From Paris, A1 highway,
exit 13.1 towards Albert
A28
LAON
A16
BEAUVAIS
A26
SOISSONS
REIMS
A1
Highway
A4
CHÂTEAU-THIERRY
TGV train station Haute-Picardie
SNCF train station
The Golden Virgin
The Golden Virgin statue
at the top is the work of the
famous sculptor Albert Roze
(from Amiens). The statue was
sculptured and put on the top
on July 13th, 1897. 40000 gold
leaves were needed to cover the
dome and the statue.
Numerous pilgrims still come to
celebrate the Virgin during the
Novena of the pilgrimage which
takes place on September (8th)
every year.
Heights :
• Steeple: 62m
• Dome: 10m
• Virgin: 5m
• Christ: 1,85m
PARIS
• Guided tours of the Basilica and possibility to go up to
the steeple for groups (on booking)
Visit of the Basilica all year round. Price: 3 € / pers.
• Visit the steeple (on booking) from April to September
on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3.00pm
Prices: 2 € /adult 1 €/ child
INFORMATION AND BOOKING
Office de Tourisme du Pays du Coquelicot
9, rue Gambetta – 80300 Albert
Tel. 03 22 75 16 42
[email protected]
www.tourisme-paysducoquelicot.com
Tourism and handicap
Welcome (reception) priest house
28, rue de Boulan (behind the Basilica)
Tél. 03 22 75 09 54 – [email protected]
The Eucharist is celebrated from Monday to Friday
at noon, on Saturdays at 6.30pm and on Sundays at
11.00am.
Conception : www.grandnord.fr - Edition 2014
The leaning Virgin in 1915
Albert
BRUX
A26
During the first World War, the Basilica
was bombed by more than 2000
shells and was practically destroyed.
In January, 1915, the statue was
seriously damaged and it leaned over
the Place d’Armes. The world-famous
legend of the leaning Virgin began:
‘When the Virgin falls, the war will be
over’. The statue fell in April 1918.
Notre-Dame de Brebières
VE
AN
ELLE
S
BOULOGNE
RS
4
Origin & construction
4. Stained glass made
by Grüber in 1929,
representing the
miraculous discovery
of the Black Virgin
Notre-Dame de
Brebières in the 11th
century.
3
century
1727
The miraculous
statue is transferred into the
church
1837
Beginning of the
construction.
Edmond
Duthoit (architect)
and Albert Roze
(sculptor)
Abbot Anicet
Godin is nominated as priest-dean
of Albert
1871
Death of
Abbot Dumont
1879
2
7
7
8. This Cavaillé-Coll
organ, is provided
with 38 stops
associated with 3
manual keyboards of
56 notes and a crank
set of 30 notes.
1
8
8
> Length: 83.50m > Width: 38.70m
> Height: 78m > Surface: 2600m²
Major dates & events
Abbot Dumont,
priest of Albert,
decided to build a
big new church
7. Saint Joan of Arc
statue, sculptured by
Anne-Marie Roux
6
1. Pieta from the
19th century
put on the
baptismal fonts,
remains of the first
Basilica.
1
6
3
2. Made with
Carrare marble, this
pulpit is endowed
with a dome
decorated with
four angels
covered with gold
leaves.
2
From 1850s, the number of inhabitants in Albert increased and the
construction of a new church was necessary. The Abbot Anicet Godin,
priest-dean of Albert since 1879, decided to manage this project and
wanted to build a new church in October, 1883. He already had an
architect, Edmond Duthoit. Nevertheless, it was hard for him to find
money. In order to finance the project, he used different means such
as the publishing of a newspaper « The Messenger of Notre-Dame de
Brebières. » Thus he was able to start the construction of the Basilica on
July 13th, 1885. During the first World War, the Basilica was completely
destroyed. Louis Duthoit rebuilt it according to the original plans of his
father, Edmond Duthoit, between 1926 and 1931, keeping the neobyzantine style (especially the sumptuous mosaics) while adding Art
Deco elements.
11th
6. Wood framework
from 1929. Each coffer
illustrates one of the
invocations of the Saint
Virgin’s litany.
3. Medallion, of
Edmond Duthoit,
first architect of
the Basilica in
1885.
This is a legend from the 11th century: a shepherd was looking after
his ewes about 1500 meters North-East of Albert. One of them
parted from the flock to sick obstinately to a tuft of grass. Puzzled, the
shepherd called it and then he sent his dog to the animal. But it didn’t
move. A voice said: ‘Stop shepherd, you’re hurting me!’ He drew back his
crook that was covered with blood.
Then he slowly dug the ground and removed the Madonna from it. She
was bearing the trace of the knock on her forehead. The circumstances
of the discovery of the statue gave it its name: Notre Dame de Brebières.
(a “brebis” means an “ewe”) .
Discovery of the
statue by an ewe
and a shepherd
5
4
The Basilica in 1918
5
5. Statue of the Virgin
with the child, made in
polychrome stone from
the 15th century and
representing the virgin
found miraculously in the
11th century in Albert.
1883
Abbot Anicet
Godin decides
to begin the
construction of
the church
1885
The Pope Léon XIII
gives to the church the
title of Basilica and
called it “La Lourdes
du Nord”
1897
1899
The Golden Virgin is on
the top of the
steeple of the Basilica
which is 78 m high
The Basilica is bombarded
by 2000 shells and the
Virgin leans over Albert.
The legend is born:
“When the virgin falls
the war will be over”
1901
The Virgin coronation by
2 Cardinals and
35 Bishops
1915
Reconstruction
of the Basilica
identical to
the first one, by
Louis, Edmond
Duthoit’s son
50th anniversary
of the Virgin’s
crowning
1918 1926-29 1931
The Virgin falls and
the Basilica
is destroyed.
The war comes to an
end the same year
Solemn inauguration
of the new Basilica
1952 1999-2004
External restoration
of the Basilica

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