About The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross
The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross is located in Rouen in France in the location where Joan of Arc, the Catholic saint, patron saint of France and solider was burnt at the stake on 30 May 1431.
The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross history
Joan of Arc was born into a peasant family in Domrémy, France about 1412. At the age of 12 she claimed to have experienced visions directing her to drive the English out of France and pave the way for the coronation of a French king. Claiming to be guided by God, she led the French army to important victories in the Hundred Years’ War, which led to Charles VII assuming the throne of France.
From freeing fortresses to entire cities such as Paris and Reims, Joan of Arc played a vital role in the war. However, in 1430, Joan was captured and sold to the English. She was tried and convicted of heresy, leading to her eventual execution. In 1456, a court led by Pope Calixtus III posthumously reversed the conviction.
Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. She is now the one of patron saint of France and her national monument is located at the site of her death in Rouen.
During World War II, Rouen was completely devastated. The church of St. Vincent, which stood near the market place was completely destroyed. A new church was build in the market place using the preserved stained glass windows of the destroyed church. L’église Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc (The Church of Saint Joan of Arc) was designed by architect Louis Arretche and completed in 1979.
The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross today
The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross is an iron construct found at the Eglise Jeanne d’Arc, which rises to a height of 65 feet. The Iron Cross of Lorraine is visible from all directions as it soars above the roof line of the church. The cross was placed on the exact site where archaeological evidence indicates that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
Getting to The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross
The Joan of Arc Memorial Cross is located next to L’église Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc at the west end of the Rue du Gros Horloge in Rouen. The address of the site is Place du Vieux-Marche, 76000, Rouen, France.
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