Peter Mayle
Église St-Trophime, Arles 
West façade of the Église St-Trophime, with its famed portal.
Statues of saints on the left side of the west portal.
Detail of Romanesque sculptures on the west portal.
The Damned are led to Hell on the right side of the portal.
South side of the church, central tower, and exterior of cloisters.
Cloisters of St-Trophime.
Capital in the cloisters.
Pillar sculpture and corbel in the cloisters.
Roof terrace overlooking the cloisters.
The Église St-Trophime is a masterpiece of Romanesque art in the ancient Roman city of Arles, France.
History
St-Trophime was constructed in the 11th and 12th centuries on the site of an 8th-century church dedicated to Saint Stephen. St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr; St. Trophime was an early bishop of Arles. Frederick Barbarossa was crowned king of Arles here in 1178.
The Église St-Trophime, along with other monuments of Arles, was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The magnificent portal was restored between 1988 and 1995 with the help of public funds and a large donation from the World Monuments Fund in New York.
What to See
The Church of Saint Trophime is characteristic of Provençal Romanesque architecture. On the east side of the square, St-Trophime's very well preserved 12th-century portal is widely acclaimed as one of the finest achievements of the southern Romanesque style. The recent restorations have made its quality and beauty even more apparent.
The most noteworthy feature of the portal is a frieze of the Last Judgment, showing chain-bound souls being dragged off to Hell on the right side and others being delivered into the hands of the saints on the left. The tympanum depicts Christ in Majesty surrounded by the symbols of the Evangelists. The patron saints of Arles, St. Trophime and St. Stephen, are represented in prominent positions in front of the main door.
Inside, St. Trophime's austere symmetry and ancient artworks (including a 4th-century sarcophagus) are worth a look.
More interesting than the interior, however, are the Cloisters of St-Trophime that adjoin the church on the southeast. Entrance is through a separate gateway right of the church facade. Overall, the cloisters are not as attractive as others in the area, primarily because they are in need of cleaning and restoration (which is planned to begin in late 2008). Most of the stone is black with grime and the central courtyard is dusty and barren.
The north and east wings of the cloister are 12th century Romanesque, while the south and west wings are 14th century Gothic. Pillars alternate with columns, the capitals of which are decorated with fine sculptures of biblical scenes. Unfortunately they are currently in pretty bad shape, blackened by pollution and patched with protective tape. The pillars bear figures of apostles and saints and between them are narrative reliefs of Christ and the saints.
The Chapter House displays some Gobelin tapestries and a small lapidarium in an upper gallery. The other rooms adjacent to the cloisters are used for temporary exhibitions. The stairs leading to the galleries and the rooms above also lead to the terrace-like roof gallery which encircles the cloisters and provides a nice view of the cloisters and tower.
Quick Facts
| Address: | Pl. de la République, Arles, Provence, France |
| Location: | On the east side of Place de la République |
| Phone: | 04-90-49-33-53 |
| Hours: | Church daily 8:30am-6:30pm; cloister mid-June to mid-Sept daily 9am-12:30pm and 2-7pm. (Hours are unpredictable and can change at the whim of the custodial staff.) |
| Cost: | Free admission to church; cloister 3.05€ adults, 2.30€ students and ages 12-18, free for ages 11 and under |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Church of St Trophime in Arles. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Arles Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Personal visit (June 29, 2008).
More Information
- St-Trophime - Images of Medieval Art and Architecture
- St-Trophime's Cathedral - Arles Tourist Office
- Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles - UNESCO World Heritage List
- Eglise St Trophime d'Arles (photos) - Romanes.com
