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Paris and Her Cathedrals
“So infectious is R. Howard Bloch’s passion for his subject that even those unable to do the traveling required will find in Paris and Her Cathedrals an inspiring guide to these time-hallowed masterpieces of medieval culture.” —Colin Jones, author of Paris and The Great Nation
Over the years, R. Howard Bloch has become renowned for the insider tours of Paris that he gives to students abroad. Long sought after by travelers and history buffs for his near-encyclopedic knowledge of French cathedrals, the eminent French literature scholar finally shares his expertise with a wider audience.
In Paris and Her Cathedrals, six of the most sublime cathedrals in the penumbra of Paris—Saint-Denis, Notre-Dame, Chartres, Sainte-Chapelle, Amiens, Reims—are illumined in magnificent detail as Bloch, taking us from the High Middle Ages to the devastating fire that set Notre-Dame ablaze in 2019, traces the evolution of each in turn. Written from the premise that “seeing is enhanced by knowing,” each chapter is organized along the lines of a walk around and then through the space of the cathedral, such that the actual or virtual visitor feels the rich sweep of the church, “the essence of these architectural wonders” (Antonia Felix).
Animating the past with lush evocations of architectural splendor—from flying buttresses and jewel-encrusted shrines to hidden burial grounds and secret chambers—Bloch then contextualizes the cathedrals within the annals of French history. Here thrilling tales of kingly intrigue—as in Saint-Chapelle, where the pious King Louis IX amassed relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns—and audacious abbots are interspersed with anecdotes about the meeting of aristocratic and everyday life, culminating in “a rich, colorful narrative that clearly but expertly explains the history and symbolism of some of the world’s most magnificent buildings” (Ross King).
To be read in preparation for an enlightened visit or merely to open a window upon the High Middle Ages in France, Paris and Her Cathedrals is a “revelation,” an “indispensable guide” (Garry Wills) to these awe-inspiring structures. Complete with the author’s own photographs, this beautifully illustrated volume vitally enhances our understanding of the history of Paris and its environs.
Over the years, R. Howard Bloch has become renowned for the insider tours of Paris that he gives to students abroad. Long sought after by travelers and history buffs for his near-encyclopedic knowledge of French cathedrals, the eminent French literature scholar finally shares his expertise with a wider audience.
In Paris and Her Cathedrals, six of the most sublime cathedrals in the penumbra of Paris—Saint-Denis, Notre-Dame, Chartres, Sainte-Chapelle, Amiens, Reims—are illumined in magnificent detail as Bloch, taking us from the High Middle Ages to the devastating fire that set Notre-Dame ablaze in 2019, traces the evolution of each in turn. Written from the premise that “seeing is enhanced by knowing,” each chapter is organized along the lines of a walk around and then through the space of the cathedral, such that the actual or virtual visitor feels the rich sweep of the church, “the essence of these architectural wonders” (Antonia Felix).
Animating the past with lush evocations of architectural splendor—from flying buttresses and jewel-encrusted shrines to hidden burial grounds and secret chambers—Bloch then contextualizes the cathedrals within the annals of French history. Here thrilling tales of kingly intrigue—as in Saint-Chapelle, where the pious King Louis IX amassed relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns—and audacious abbots are interspersed with anecdotes about the meeting of aristocratic and everyday life, culminating in “a rich, colorful narrative that clearly but expertly explains the history and symbolism of some of the world’s most magnificent buildings” (Ross King).
To be read in preparation for an enlightened visit or merely to open a window upon the High Middle Ages in France, Paris and Her Cathedrals is a “revelation,” an “indispensable guide” (Garry Wills) to these awe-inspiring structures. Complete with the author’s own photographs, this beautifully illustrated volume vitally enhances our understanding of the history of Paris and its environs.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2022
36 people are currently reading
2417 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 6, 2022
Whew. This was pretty literal. Wanted the prose to soar like cathedrals do but alas it was all very rote, these histories of important French cathedrals. Very niche. Which is okay! We all have niche interests.
February 11, 2023
This was a truly excellent guide through the great cathedrals in and around Paris.
Going into this book, I was afraid that the subject matter would go over my head. I was happy to learn that I was wrong. The author vividly describes the fascinating history, art, and artifacts associated with these great buildings. He clearly wrote this with the normal tourist in mind. A tourist could easily just read the chapter on the cathedral they want to see (like Notre Dame or Saints-Chapelle) and have a much better, more enlightened experience once they get there.
As the author himself says, the cathedrals can “…connect us - via beauty beheld - to something older, bigger, better, and more mysteriously meaningful than ourselves.”
Going into this book, I was afraid that the subject matter would go over my head. I was happy to learn that I was wrong. The author vividly describes the fascinating history, art, and artifacts associated with these great buildings. He clearly wrote this with the normal tourist in mind. A tourist could easily just read the chapter on the cathedral they want to see (like Notre Dame or Saints-Chapelle) and have a much better, more enlightened experience once they get there.
As the author himself says, the cathedrals can “…connect us - via beauty beheld - to something older, bigger, better, and more mysteriously meaningful than ourselves.”
January 23, 2024
This was good. Incredibly heavy, but good.
August 26, 2023
Amazing in-depth descriptions of the cathedrals of northern France from Notre Dame in Paris to Amiens and Reims. The symbolism of the statues, stained glass and architecture. They all were initially built in the 1100 and 1200s. Would be an excellent guidebook to anyone traveling in France.
July 18, 2024
I remember a scene in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance where the writing professor has a student who is stuck and doesn't know what to write about. Here is the scene:
All this just for me to say, Was R. Howard Bloch a student of Robert M. Pirsig? Because, let me warn you, this is exactly what Bloch does in Paris and Her Cathedrals. He writes about the first brick, and the second brick, and by the third brick it all started to come and he can't stop. Whew.
Here are my thoughts: If you want to know anything about the architecture or the art or the history or the meaning behind the architecture or the art or the history of any of the six structures in or near Paris Bloch loosely calls cathedrals...it's here in this book. Every brick. It's rare that reading a book exhausts me, but this book did.
He’d been innovating extensively. He’d been having trouble with students who had nothing to say. At first he thought it was laziness but later it became apparent that it wasn’t. They just couldn’t think of anything to say. One of them, a girl with strong-lensed glasses, wanted to write a five-hundred-word essay about the United States. He was used to the sinking feeling that comes from statements like this, and suggested without disparagement that she narrow it down to just Bozeman.
When the paper came due she didn’t have it and was quite upset. She had tried and tried but she just couldn’t think of anything to say.
He had already discussed her with her previous instructors and they’d confirmed his impressions of her. She was very serious, disciplined and hardworking, but extremely dull. Not a spark of creativity in her anywhere. Her eyes, behind the thick-lensed glasses, were the eyes of a drudge. She wasn’t bluffing him, she really couldn’t think of anything to say, and was upset by her inability to do as she was told.
It just stumped him. Now he couldn’t think of anything to say. A silence occurred, and then a peculiar answer: “Narrow it down to the main street of Bozeman.” It was a stroke of insight.
She nodded dutifully and went out. But just before her next class she came back in real distress, tears this time, distress that had obviously been there for a long time. She still couldn’t think of anything to say, and couldn’t understand why, if she couldn’t think of anything about all of Bozeman, she should be able to think of something about just one street.
He was furious. “You’re not looking!” he said. A memory came back of his own dismissal from the University for having too much to say. For every fact there is an infinity of hypotheses. The more you look the more you see. She really wasn’t looking and yet somehow didn’t understand this.
He told her angrily, “Narrow it down to the front of one building on the main street of Bozeman. The Opera House. Start with the upper left-hand brick.”
Her eyes, behind the thick-lensed glasses, opened wide.
She came in the next class with a puzzled look and handed him a five-thousand-word essay on the front of the Opera House on the main street of Bozeman, Montana. “I sat in the hamburger stand across the street,” she said, “and started writing about the first brick, and the second brick, and then by the third brick it all started to come and I couldn’t stop. They thought I was crazy, and they kept kidding me, but here it all is. I don’t understand it...”
Pirsig, Robert M.. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (pp. 170-171). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
All this just for me to say, Was R. Howard Bloch a student of Robert M. Pirsig? Because, let me warn you, this is exactly what Bloch does in Paris and Her Cathedrals. He writes about the first brick, and the second brick, and by the third brick it all started to come and he can't stop. Whew.
Here are my thoughts: If you want to know anything about the architecture or the art or the history or the meaning behind the architecture or the art or the history of any of the six structures in or near Paris Bloch loosely calls cathedrals...it's here in this book. Every brick. It's rare that reading a book exhausts me, but this book did.
July 24, 2023
Being inside a Gothic cathedral is an awe-inspiring experience that evokes a sense of grandeur, spirituality, and wonder. I will never forget the first time I stood inside Notre Dame de Paris, Saint Chappelle, Chartres. The soaring height of the ceilings, intricate ribbed vaults, pointed arches, and expansive stained glass windows created a mystical atmosphere.
To the people who created these cathedrals, the building process was not just a construction project but a labor of devotion and religious fervor. Gothic cathedrals were predominantly built during the medieval period, particularly from the 12th to the 16th centuries. They were commissioned by the Church, and the construction often spanned several generations, meaning that many of the workers who began the construction wouldn't live to see its completion. This reflects the commitment and dedication of both the builders and the community that supported the projects. Additionally, cathedrals served as pilgrimage destinations, attracting thousands of pilgrims from various regions, which, in turn, brought economic prosperity to the surrounding areas.
Gothic cathedrals were also regarded as "bibles for the educating the masses." In an era when illiteracy was widespread, the elaborate stone carvings, sculptures, and stained glass windows served as a visual representation of biblical stories and religious teachings. These artistic elements functioned as a means of education, helping the clergy communicate the teachings of the Church to the common people in a language they could understand, regardless of their ability to read or write.
Gothic architecture represented a breakthrough in design for several reasons:
1. Thrust of verticality: Gothic architecture departed from the earlier Romanesque style, which was characterized by heavy and thick walls, to emphasize height and verticality. The pointed arches and ribbed vaults allowed for greater height and allowed the weight of the structure to be distributed more effectively, enabling the construction of taller and more ambitious buildings.
2. Flying buttresses: One of the most iconic features of Gothic cathedrals, flying buttresses, provided external support to the walls, allowing for thinner walls and larger windows. This innovation not only added to the structural stability but also opened up space for more extensive and intricate stained glass windows, which became a crucial element in Gothic architecture.
3. Abundance of natural light: The extensive use of stained glass in Gothic cathedrals allowed sunlight to filter through and fill the interior spaces with a divine glow. This manipulation of light was used symbolically to create an otherworldly and spiritual atmosphere, connecting visitors to the divine and the stories depicted in the glass.
To the people who created these cathedrals, the building process was not just a construction project but a labor of devotion and religious fervor. Gothic cathedrals were predominantly built during the medieval period, particularly from the 12th to the 16th centuries. They were commissioned by the Church, and the construction often spanned several generations, meaning that many of the workers who began the construction wouldn't live to see its completion. This reflects the commitment and dedication of both the builders and the community that supported the projects. Additionally, cathedrals served as pilgrimage destinations, attracting thousands of pilgrims from various regions, which, in turn, brought economic prosperity to the surrounding areas.
Gothic cathedrals were also regarded as "bibles for the educating the masses." In an era when illiteracy was widespread, the elaborate stone carvings, sculptures, and stained glass windows served as a visual representation of biblical stories and religious teachings. These artistic elements functioned as a means of education, helping the clergy communicate the teachings of the Church to the common people in a language they could understand, regardless of their ability to read or write.
Gothic architecture represented a breakthrough in design for several reasons:
1. Thrust of verticality: Gothic architecture departed from the earlier Romanesque style, which was characterized by heavy and thick walls, to emphasize height and verticality. The pointed arches and ribbed vaults allowed for greater height and allowed the weight of the structure to be distributed more effectively, enabling the construction of taller and more ambitious buildings.
2. Flying buttresses: One of the most iconic features of Gothic cathedrals, flying buttresses, provided external support to the walls, allowing for thinner walls and larger windows. This innovation not only added to the structural stability but also opened up space for more extensive and intricate stained glass windows, which became a crucial element in Gothic architecture.
3. Abundance of natural light: The extensive use of stained glass in Gothic cathedrals allowed sunlight to filter through and fill the interior spaces with a divine glow. This manipulation of light was used symbolically to create an otherworldly and spiritual atmosphere, connecting visitors to the divine and the stories depicted in the glass.
December 16, 2025
A beautiful journey through six of France’s most prominent cathedrals. While Notre Dame de Paris gets the most name recognition from plebeians like myself, the five other cathedrals also feature extensively, from the burial grounds of Saint-Denis to the relics of Amiens to the coronation history of Reims. Bloch gives a great overview of each and their history, with paragraphs of detail going over the eye catching architecture, stained glass, and bas reliefs.
The only issue I really have is often a problem with talking about architecture: the lack of visual complements. Given that religious architecture is a very visual medium, reading Bloch endlessly describing what the cathedrals each look like loses its punch when you can’t compare it to the actual art. There are a variety of photographs of each of the cathedrals spread through their respective chapters, but since the tympanums, rose windows, and such are so huge, the individual details get lost to the reader—I struggled with going back and forth from the long list of details Bloch writes to the black and white pictures featuring the actual architecture, with many of the individual components too small to really make out, and some being encased in shadow to boot. Honestly, a lot of this book would work really well as a documentary film, with a narrator using flowery descriptors while the camera pans down and across various archivolts.
To be fair, perhaps this is a sneaky tactic to try to get readers to go see the cathedrals in person—after all, these cathedrals may be too expansive and bold to truly capture through mere photography. I get the feeling that it will work on me, if I ever find myself able to return to Paris one day.
The only issue I really have is often a problem with talking about architecture: the lack of visual complements. Given that religious architecture is a very visual medium, reading Bloch endlessly describing what the cathedrals each look like loses its punch when you can’t compare it to the actual art. There are a variety of photographs of each of the cathedrals spread through their respective chapters, but since the tympanums, rose windows, and such are so huge, the individual details get lost to the reader—I struggled with going back and forth from the long list of details Bloch writes to the black and white pictures featuring the actual architecture, with many of the individual components too small to really make out, and some being encased in shadow to boot. Honestly, a lot of this book would work really well as a documentary film, with a narrator using flowery descriptors while the camera pans down and across various archivolts.
To be fair, perhaps this is a sneaky tactic to try to get readers to go see the cathedrals in person—after all, these cathedrals may be too expansive and bold to truly capture through mere photography. I get the feeling that it will work on me, if I ever find myself able to return to Paris one day.
October 30, 2024
I have always loved Paris, or any place in Europe, really. When my aunt bought me this book, I knew it would be good, but I had no idea how good it would be.
This book doesn’t only go in depth about each of the cathedrals in Paris, but deep into each one. Bloch not only gives you information about the cathedrals, but he explains it in a way that makes it seem like you are there as he describes the outside of the cathedrals, the inside, the painted glass windows, and the designs of statues. I have never read a non-fiction history book that instantly transports me to where I am reading like this book does. He also includes some pictures of the outside as well as the inside to help give you ideas as to where precisely each thing he is talking about is located. When reading this book, I can see Notre Dame as clear as day, I can see where the lightning hit Saint-Denis. I also get to read how each part of the cathedral was made and which parts were inspired by the Old Testament or the New Testament in the Bible; one thing I love about this book is it gives specific verses; it will not only tell you what the Bible says, but the exact location (the book, chapter, and verse).
It also talks about the different Kings and Queens who were rulers at the time, their families, and what they did as rulers that coincided with the cathedrals, whether it was how the cathedral got its name or a famous fight that happened inside the cathedral.
This book doesn’t only go in depth about each of the cathedrals in Paris, but deep into each one. Bloch not only gives you information about the cathedrals, but he explains it in a way that makes it seem like you are there as he describes the outside of the cathedrals, the inside, the painted glass windows, and the designs of statues. I have never read a non-fiction history book that instantly transports me to where I am reading like this book does. He also includes some pictures of the outside as well as the inside to help give you ideas as to where precisely each thing he is talking about is located. When reading this book, I can see Notre Dame as clear as day, I can see where the lightning hit Saint-Denis. I also get to read how each part of the cathedral was made and which parts were inspired by the Old Testament or the New Testament in the Bible; one thing I love about this book is it gives specific verses; it will not only tell you what the Bible says, but the exact location (the book, chapter, and verse).
It also talks about the different Kings and Queens who were rulers at the time, their families, and what they did as rulers that coincided with the cathedrals, whether it was how the cathedral got its name or a famous fight that happened inside the cathedral.
June 4, 2023
I learned so much that this was like reading a textbook but without exam anxiety and with added asides of secular history and humor thrown in.
This is an informative review of the history, significance, and the contents (artistic and religious) of several Gothic cathedrals in the Parisian region. I'd visited two of them (Notre Dame Paris and Chartres) and now I have a greater desire to see more.
The book explores the common elements of the buildings, but also what makes each one distinctive. It might be its history, or how much of its original structure remains, or the storms and conflicts it's survived, or the style or amount of art embellishing its walls, but each one, while fitting to some extent the pattern of a cathedral, has its own attributes and reasons one might want to visit.
You get the what, where, and something of the why here. I'm not saying this is a book for the casual admirer of Gothic architecture or art, but if you've got some curiosity (and a basic familiarity with) about French history and Christian art and symbolism, this is a means of deepening your knowledge and falling down an internet rabbit hole or two as you seek out images of what the author describes. I'm already into another of his works about the Bayeux tapestry.
This is an informative review of the history, significance, and the contents (artistic and religious) of several Gothic cathedrals in the Parisian region. I'd visited two of them (Notre Dame Paris and Chartres) and now I have a greater desire to see more.
The book explores the common elements of the buildings, but also what makes each one distinctive. It might be its history, or how much of its original structure remains, or the storms and conflicts it's survived, or the style or amount of art embellishing its walls, but each one, while fitting to some extent the pattern of a cathedral, has its own attributes and reasons one might want to visit.
You get the what, where, and something of the why here. I'm not saying this is a book for the casual admirer of Gothic architecture or art, but if you've got some curiosity (and a basic familiarity with) about French history and Christian art and symbolism, this is a means of deepening your knowledge and falling down an internet rabbit hole or two as you seek out images of what the author describes. I'm already into another of his works about the Bayeux tapestry.
April 7, 2023
I'm not going to continue reading this. It's like experiencing a movie with only the audio. I was hoping for more of a historical narrative about the cathedrals in the history of Paris, which seems reasonable based on the title. It's not that. It's a series of descriptions of parts of the cathedrals, but with hardly any pictures that is not very satisfying. If this text was being spoken to me as I was given a guided tour of the cathedral it would probably be interesting, but as acreage of print, it's frustrating.
It also could have used a more careful copy edit. Once in awhile there is a word that does not fit its context, but would not be flagged by a word processor because it's a real word. For example, "sad solidarity dignity" - the intended word is solitary, and anyone actually reading the sentence would have caught that. I would expect better care to be taken by an imprint of WW Norton.
It also could have used a more careful copy edit. Once in awhile there is a word that does not fit its context, but would not be flagged by a word processor because it's a real word. For example, "sad solidarity dignity" - the intended word is solitary, and anyone actually reading the sentence would have caught that. I would expect better care to be taken by an imprint of WW Norton.
January 7, 2025
3.5
I bought this book after walking around Notre Dame, because I wanted to learn more about cathedrals and didn't want to read a Ken Follet book. I loved reading the chapters as we either visited one of the cathedrals (Notre Dame or Saint Chappelle) or after seeing their artifacts in a museum (Saint Dennis stained glass in the Cluny). I learned many interesting fun facts about what I saw like Joan of Arc's statue or what the purpose of the gargoyles were. That being said the book could be tedious as the author explained all the individual stained glass windows or cravings which dragged down the story I wanted more cultural stuff like wall the things about Reims during WWI.
I bought this book after walking around Notre Dame, because I wanted to learn more about cathedrals and didn't want to read a Ken Follet book. I loved reading the chapters as we either visited one of the cathedrals (Notre Dame or Saint Chappelle) or after seeing their artifacts in a museum (Saint Dennis stained glass in the Cluny). I learned many interesting fun facts about what I saw like Joan of Arc's statue or what the purpose of the gargoyles were. That being said the book could be tedious as the author explained all the individual stained glass windows or cravings which dragged down the story I wanted more cultural stuff like wall the things about Reims during WWI.
August 12, 2023
This is a very detailed, thorough trek through 6 different cathedrals. At times hard to follow, even with a few black and white images, but that is at least partially the result of the sheer volume of material and art that each cathedral holds. Overall, I think this is a good primer for a tour of the cathedrals.
Note: only read 5/6 of the book as I skipped the section on Amiens
Note: only read 5/6 of the book as I skipped the section on Amiens
June 20, 2025
For any architect or historian that is interested in Gothic cathedral’s, this is your book. It’s a must read. Not only does the author give a detailed description of each cathedral, but he also offers a great overview of the historical context of said cathedral.
January 14, 2023
This is more so a tour guide for cathedrals not about the architecture, history of them. Not a terrible read but not what I was expecting
February 7, 2023
Fascinating book. I would have liked more pictures.
November 19, 2023
Type Too small & Contents Too Thorough for me.
April 23, 2024
This book is a true joy for a Francophile! It is rich in both the history of six of France's greatest cathedrals as well as in the architectural details of each building.
April 11, 2025
Not a typical read, but very good info, especially when visiting the cathedrals described in the book.
October 6, 2023
This was an interesting book that mixes history and architecture, bound together with Christian theology. The most interesting part was the relevant church and secular history. The architectural descriptions are detailed as are the description of artistic elements such as statues and other carvings. However, to fully appreciate those visuals, this book should really have been in a format with color photos illustrating what was described. I spent a lot of time Googling the various cathedrals to find images of the portals and sculptures to better grasp what the author was describing. Overall, it was a good book, but the description of the visual medium became tedious. I plan to review relevant chapters should I visit any of these cathedrals in the coming years as I think that material will help me have a richer experience.
September 2, 2023
This book was educational and kept my interest. Though it feels misplaced as a purely educational and historical volume, and instead, it feels like it missed its calling as a full color annotated visual guide the the six cathedrals of France. Full color photographs of all the things referenced would have been a massive step up over the occasional black and white image of the item being discussed. Those images were no match to make out the great detail their subjects were described with. Overall, I wish there were a bit more focus on the history of each cathedral than a detailed description of this item or that one throughout each church. Having said all that, I'm glad I read this book and did enjoy it, but I imagine I'll retain little of it, and if I were to want to go to these cathedrals, this would be a great accompany.
February 6, 2023
This book was painful to read.
I went into it hoping for beautiful stories of history and fun facts but what you get is lengthy paragraphs about what each stone figure on the building represents.
I love medieval architecture as much as the next person but this was not written in a way to keep a person fascinated.
I went into it hoping for beautiful stories of history and fun facts but what you get is lengthy paragraphs about what each stone figure on the building represents.
I love medieval architecture as much as the next person but this was not written in a way to keep a person fascinated.
July 28, 2022
EXTREMELY detailed. Very interesting history, highly recommend to bring if you are a history buff in Paris. Author goes through extredetail of everything in the cathedrals so you could do your own tour with this book.
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