The Cluny collection was started around by a collector of medieval relics and remnants. Those old things were rather out of vogue, and no one paid much attention. He then found a warehouse for them in what was originally a roman bath house that was later built onto and a beautiful chapel was incorporated into one end of the "new" building. It turned out to be a great place to store and later to display these objects, some dating from 400 BC to 1400 AD.
The most spectacular exhibit in the Cluny can't really be photographed very well. These are the tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn, probably created in the 1400s. You can check out some of them on the museum's website. There are 6 tapestries, and each one deals with our sensory experiences. They were probably created for a wedding ceremony or maybe they were part of some celebration.
We spent several hours examining religious artifacts, statues, jewelry and of course the tapestries. There were some medieval chanters performing in another part of the museum and when we went into the chapel, it was as if they were being "piped in" to enhance the ambiance. I loved the ceiling in there, it is a great example of the gothic tradition.
Afterwards,Lisa, Mary, Carole and I went to lunch at the former home of the alchemist Nicolas Flammel. The house where we ate is reported to be the oldest still standing home in Paris, though the only thing left is barely the skeleton, and the rest is new or under renovation...I felt right at home.
We didn't turn lead into gold, but Mary had gold leaf in her dessert, and we all thought that was very clever. I keep meaning to look for a book about Mr. Flammel. You really should google him, he sounds like a very enchanting character.
