The restoration of the Romanesque gallery (also called dwarf gallery) of the crossing tower
The Romanesque gallery is made up of small arcades set on small columns. The architecture hides an imposing brick haunch which supports the brick cupola covering the crossing. The small columns stand on a base built out of sandstone that transitions from the square of the crossing to the octagon of the tower. The banks of the transition section take the rainwater from the whole roof covering the crossing tower.A large part of the sandstone masonry-work that is part of the current restoration and conservation campaign dates from the end of the 12th century. The ashlar facings are framed with drafted margins and are cut with hand tools, called polka (hammer with two sharp edges used by stonecutters) or the toothed hammer. Stone mason's marks are carved on many faces. The original small columns have also been cut with the polka. Capitals and shafts were cut from single blocks of sandstone.The area of the crossing (roof, stair tower) has been affected by alterations and fires. The evidence of these fires and alterations can be easily seen on the ashlar facings. The neo-romanesque tower built in 1879 by the architect Gustave Klotz was damaged during the Second world war (bombing of August 11, 1944) and was restored in the 1990s.
The Romanesque gallery is made up of small arcades set on small columns. The architecture hides an imposing brick haunch which supports the brick cupola covering the crossing. The small columns stand on a base built out of sandstone that transitions from the square of the crossing to the octagon of the tower. The banks of the transition section take the rainwater from the whole roof covering the crossing tower.A large part of the sandstone masonry-work that is part of the current restoration and conservation campaign dates from the end of the 12th century. The ashlar facings are framed with drafted margins and are cut with hand tools, called polka (hammer with two sharp edges used by stonecutters) or the toothed hammer. Stone mason's marks are carved on many faces. The original small columns have also been cut with the polka. Capitals and shafts were cut from single blocks of sandstone.The area of the crossing (roof, stair tower) has been affected by alterations and fires. The evidence of these fires and alterations can be easily seen on the ashlar facings. The neo-romanesque tower built in 1879 by the architect Gustave Klotz was damaged during the Second world war (bombing of August 11, 1944) and was restored in the 1990s.
