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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Séverin, located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, is an emblematic monument of the Latin Quarter. Its origin dates back to the ninth century, where it was already used as a parish seat. In 1789-90 she was one of 52 urban parishes in the diocese of Paris, with an archpriest priest. The building preserves medieval traces, like two inscriptions in ancient French (XIV and 15th centuries) near the Saint-Séverin gate, reminding passers-by of the mortality and obligations of the fossilists.

The church is distinguished by its mass grave, a former parish cemetery opened around 1250, surrounded by a cloistered gallery built around 1430. This mass grave, used as a place of burial and residence for priests, was closed in 1674 and turned into a cloister. In the 19th century, works partially altered the structure, but the current garden, classified, preserved original elements like stained glass from 1699. A notable anecdote relates a pioneering surgery in 1474: Louis XI pardoned an archer sentenced to death after a successful intervention against stone disease in the mass grave.

Architecturally, the church combines flamboyant and Gothic styles. Its nave of 17 meters, without transept, has five naves in width surrounded by chapels. The walkway has ten palm-shaped pillars, including a twisted column called salomonic. Among the treasures, a well with supposed virtues against the collapses remains in the baptismal chapel. The glass windows, spread over seven centuries, include Gothic works (such as a Jesse Tree of 1482), 19th century creations, and modern stained glass windows by Jean Bazaine (1970) evoking the seven sacraments.

Wall paintings, mostly from the 19th century, require restoration, while three are classified as historical monuments. The organ, inaugurated in 1963 by Alfred Kern, has a 1745 buffet classified since 1905. His musical history is marked by prestigious holders such as Michel Chapuis and André Isoir. The stained glass windows on the north facade represent religious scenes (Trinity, Saints Peter and John the Baptist) and donors, while those of the walk-through combine contemporary art and sacred symbolism.

The site, bounded by the streets of Prêtres-Saint-Séverin, La Parchmenterie, Saint-Jacques and Saint-Séverin, also includes the parish house and square André-Lefèvre. Its cloister, now a public garden, bears witness to the evolution of funeral practices in Paris, moving from a place of burial to a space of gathering and walking. The missing inscriptions, like the one inviting passers-by to meditate on death, recall the memorial and spiritual dimension of the place.

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