Sorbonne Chapel

The Chapel of Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne, also known as the Sorbonne Chapel, was the chapel for the Roman Catholic students and faculty of the College of Sorbonne in Paris in the 18th century, then for the university faculties of Paris in the 20th century. It is located at 17 Rue de la Sorbonne in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. It was commissioned in 1626 by Cardinal Richelieu whose tomb was placed there after his death in 1642. It is the only building remaining from the 17th century university.

Sorbonne Chapel, Paris
Chapelle Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne
Sorbonne Chapel west facade and dome
Location
Location	17 Rue de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement of Paris (nearest Metro: Cluny-Sorbonne)

As if May 2025, the chapel is still closed to the public for major renovation.

History

The north facade and courtyard in 1642

In 1257, Robert de Sorbon, the chaplain and confessor of King Louis IX of France, persuaded the King to open a college of theology in Paris. The new college became a major European center for European theological studies, and an active participamnt in the battle against Protestantism in 16th century and against Jansenism in the 18th century.

By the 17th century, the buildings of the early Sorbonne college were in dismal condition. Cardinal Richelieu, the proviseur of the Sorbonne and a minister of state of King Louis XIV, persuaded the King to rebuild the college.^[1] The previous chapel was demolished; the outline of its previous location now is marked on the tiles of the Courtyard of Honor. Construction of the new chapel began in 1627.

The architect of the new chapel was Jacques Lemercier, who had constructed a palace for Cardinal Richelieu (now the Palais-Royale,)^{[2] [3][4]}. The interior of the dome was painted by Philippe de Champaigne,^[5][6] while François Girardon sculpted Richelieu's tomb which originally stood in the church.^[7][8][9] Construction lasted from 1627 and `1648. the year of Richelieu's death. At his request his tomb was placed in the chapel.^[10]

During the French Revolution the chapel was declared a Temple of Reason and stripped of all its ornament. It was not returned to the Catholic church until 1822.^[11]

In 1887 it was registered as a national historical monument, joined in 1975 by other structures of the Sorbonne complex.^[3] As of 2025, the chapel was open to visits by reservation only.^[12]

• Engravings taken from L'Architecture française by architect Jean Marot (1686)
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  Elevation of the facade
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  Cross section
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  Cross section viewed from north

Exterior - The Facades and Dome

The plan of the church displayed a combination of two different types of building. The west facade of the church, facing with the city and Place de la Sorbonne, broke with the traditional Gothic three levels and followed the Romanesque style of the Counter-Reform, with two superimposed orders, with Corinthian columns on the lower level and composite pilasters on the uuper level.^[13]

The north facade faces the Courtyard of Honor, the central courtyard of the college. It is the original facade, and takes the form of a classir portico with Corinthian columns and a entablature inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.^[14]

The dome was the first Paris dome to use the classic Roman model of a cupola topped by a lantern. It was soon imitated in Paris by the chapel of Val-De-Grace and on an even larger scale by royal church of Les Invalides.^[15]

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  North facade from the Court of Honor
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  The west facade and the Place de la Sorbonne
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  West faade

Interior

The dome, over the transept, divides the interior of the church into two parts, the nave and choir, of equal size. They are bordered by lateral chapels. Most of the interior art and decoration dates to the 17h century

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  Plan, with altar center-right, and choir and Richelieu Tomb at the top
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  The Choir with tomb of Cardinal Richelieu in the chapel at the far end
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  Ceiling and dome of the chapel

Tomb of Cardinal Richelieu

The Tomb of Cardinal Richelieu, made of Carrera marble, is an emblematic work of French 17th century sculpture. It was made by Francois Girardon (1628-1715), and was not actually completed until 1694, fifty-two years after the death of the Cardinal. It is placed in an open space, with the Cardinal in his ceremonial habit, reclining and gazing toward the altar, as if he were peacefully awaiting his death. It is accompanied by two allegorical figures ; a Pieta, the traditional figure of piety and faith,kneeling calmly behind him, and a figure representing Doctrine, collapsed in tears at the foot of his bed.^[16]

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  Tomb of Cardinal Richelieu with smiling figure symbolizing "Faith"
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  Grieving figure symbolizing "Doctrine"

Art and Decoration

The cupola inside the dome is decorated with a group of four frescoes by Philippe de Champagne (1602-1674). They were painted between 1641 and 1644, a depict four of the most prominent theologians of the Christian church; Saint Gregory; Saint Ambrose; Saint Augustine and Saint Jerome.^[17]

Much of the art and decoration in the chapel was added in the 19th century. The largest painting, called "Theology", is located in the right arm of the transept. It was painted by Louis-Charles Timbal (1821-1880) and depicts a theologian reading a religious text before an altar, surrounded by a group of figures of famous theologians and clerics from antiquity to the 19th century, a reminder that the Sorbonne was first and foremost a school of theology. Timbale painted a series of works depicting prominent saints and angels around the choir.^[18]

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  "Saint Ambrose" fresco below dome by Philippe de Champagne
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  "Christ at the Tomb" by Louis Charles Timbale