[Illustration: THE BISHOP’S PALACE. FAÇADE LOOKING ON THE COURTYARD AND ENTRANCE TO THE MUSEUM.]
On the left: Aisle of the Cathedral (_see p. 47_) and the Transept with ruined roof. In the background: The East Gallery of the Cloister]
The Cloister (_Hist. Mon._ 13th and 14th centuries)
_The door of Margueritte College and the courtyard of the Bishop’s Palace lead to the Cloister (see photos, pp. 43 and 49)._
Although Gothic in structure, parts of the carved decorative work announced the coming Renaissance (helmeted warriors and antique personages crowned with laurels).
Some of the keystones of the vaulting, representing bloated, bearded faces, are said to be caricatures of the canons of the Cathedral, made by the workmen who built the cloister, to revenge themselves for the Church’s stinginess.
[Illustration: THE WEST GALLERY IN WHICH THE STAIRCASE LEADING TO THE CLOISTER OPENS OUT (1914)
The arrangement of the blind windows against the walls is very rarely met with]
[Illustration: THE CLOISTER SEEN FROM ONE OF THE CATHEDRAL TOWERS
In the background: the East Gallery. On the right the Seminary and South Gallery in ruins. In the town is seen St. Saviour’s Church against the green background of the fortifications]
The heavy Seminary buildings, erected on two of the galleries, are 19th century. They were almost entirely destroyed by the bombardments.
[Illustration: THE SOUTH GALLERY OF THE CLOISTER BEFORE THE WAR
Its present state is shown in the above photograph]
_On leaving the Cathedral, the tourist arrives almost immediately at the small Place Châtel, the highest point of the town. Take, the Rue Châtel to the_ =Châtel Gate=.
[Illustration: CHÂTEL GATE. BEHIND THE CATHEDRAL.]
From the ancient “Fermeté” rampart, only this machicolated gate (formerly called “Champenoise”) is visible near the small “Place Châtel.”
_On leaving the Châtel Gate, go down the Rue des Hauts Fins to the corner of the_ Rue Montgaud: Blockhouse for four machine-guns to defend the town.
Cross the Esplanade de la Roche to the =Citadelle=.
From the Esplanade de la Roche, the arrangement of which dates from 1780–1783, there is a fine view of the Meuse valley and the prairies known as =Pré-l’Evêque=.
The entrance to the =Citadelle= opens on the Esplanade de la Roche, while the Citadelle proper occupies the site of the ancient =Abbey= and =Church of St. Vanne=, erected in the Merovingian Period and 15th century on the hill where, in the days of Clovis, the Dragon with poisoned breath was said to live. According to the legend St. Vanne first tamed the dragon, then led it to the River Meuse, where it was drowned.