Layout of Roman Catholic Cathedral in France

DavidZahir

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Okay I'm writing a novel mostly set in a fictional small city/very large town in France (don't tell me to use a real one, there're reasons I want a fictional city).

A character investigates the grave of a saint who was buried in this cathedral in the 14th century. A few questions:


  1. The cathedral is named after St. Longin (or St. Longinus) and I'd like a prominent statue of him to be clearly visible when you walk in. Where would be an obvious spot?
  2. My character also visits the tomb of a prominent bishop also buried at the cathedral. Where would his tomb likely to be?
  3. This fictional saint I was imagining buried in a relatively simple stone tomb build into the wall of the cathedral, with a stained glass window above. Does this make sense? And if so, where in the cathedral would such a tomb likely to be? The stained glass window had originally been rather generic but was later replaced with one about this saint after he was canonized.
Thanks in advance!
 

Drachen Jager

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  1. The cathedral is named after St. Longin (or St. Longinus) and I'd like a prominent statue of him to be clearly visible when you walk in. Where would be an obvious spot?
Beside the door, or sometimes in a court out front of the church there is a statue, often if it's in the court it may be part of a fountain.


Notre_Dame_front_doors_2_by_CAStock.jpg

  1. My character also visits the tomb of a prominent bishop also buried at the cathedral. Where would his tomb likely to be?
Underneath the church, many of them have stairs leading to lower areas which are normally accessed toward the altar at one or both sides of the church.


  1. This fictional saint I was imagining buried in a relatively simple stone tomb build into the wall of the cathedral, with a stained glass window above. Does this make sense? And if so, where in the cathedral would such a tomb likely to be? The stained glass window had originally been rather generic but was later replaced with one about this saint after he was canonized.
Usually full tombs are underground, often relics, or bits of saints are kept aboveground. In some churches it may be behind the altar, in others it could be in an alcove off to the side. I've only seen stuff behind the altar in one large German church, but that's also the only place I've seen a tomb above ground.
700-03068158w.jpg


The%20Panth%C3%A9on_3.jpg



That last one looks a lot like a tomb under a church I visited in Luxembourg this summer.



Thanks in advance!

Hope that helps!
 

waylander

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Okay I'm writing a novel mostly set in a fictional small city/very large town in France (don't tell me to use a real one, there're reasons I want a fictional city).

A character investigates the grave of a saint who was buried in this cathedral in the 14th century. A few questions:


  1. The cathedral is named after St. Longin (or St. Longinus) and I'd like a prominent statue of him to be clearly visible when you walk in. Where would be an obvious spot?
  2. My character also visits the tomb of a prominent bishop also buried at the cathedral. Where would his tomb likely to be?
  3. This fictional saint I was imagining buried in a relatively simple stone tomb build into the wall of the cathedral, with a stained glass window above. Does this make sense? And if so, where in the cathedral would such a tomb likely to be? The stained glass window had originally been rather generic but was later replaced with one about this saint after he was canonized.
Thanks in advance!

Both saint and bishop could have tombs in side chapels. This is certainly the case in major churches in Rome
 

DavidZahir

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This is all very good. I'll be going with the side chapel and using the basic layout of Chartres Cathedral. The statue of St. Longin can go as in the first picture above, inbetween two great doors into the atrium.