Église St-Maclou

Rouen


This supreme example of the Flamboyant Gothic–style church was built between 1437 and 1521, but much of the decoration dates from the Renaissance. The church was heavily damaged in WWII and later restored. Note the detailed wood panelling in the porch of the church; also observe how many of the statues on the exterior stonework of the church are missing their heads (victims of the French Wars of Religion). Half-timbered houses that incline at curious angles can be found on nearby side streets.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rouen attractions

1. Aître St-Maclou

0.06 MILES

Decorated with lurid woodcarvings of skulls, crossbones, gravediggers’ tools and hourglasses (a reminder that your time, my friend, is running out), this…

2. Historial Jeanne d'Arc

0.13 MILES

For an introduction to the great 15th-century heroine and the events that earned her fame – and shortly thereafter condemnation – don't miss this…

3. Cathédrale Notre Dame

0.17 MILES

Rouen’s stunning Gothic cathedral, built between the late 12th and 16th centuries, was famously the subject of a series of canvases painted by Monet at…

4. Abbatiale St-Ouen

0.19 MILES

This largely empty 14th-century abbey is a gloriously sublime and quite stunning example of the Rayonnant Gothic style, with a colossal interior dappled…

5. Monument Juif

0.29 MILES

The only relic of Rouen’s medieval Jewish community, expelled by Philippe le Bel in 1306, is hidden underneath the staircase at the eastern end of the…

6. Gros Horloge

0.34 MILES

Spanning rue du Gros Horloge, the Great Clock’s Renaissance archway has a gilded, one-handed medieval clock face on each side. High above, a Gothic belfry…

7. Musée Le Secq des Tournelles

0.34 MILES

Home to one of the world’s premier collections of wrought iron, this riveting (excuse the pun) museum is an astonishing sight, showcasing the…

8. Palais de Justice

0.34 MILES

The ornately Gothic Law Courts, little more than a shell at the end of WWII, have been restored to their early-16th-century glory. On rue Jeanne d'Arc,…