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Cluny Museum (The Musée National du Moyen Âge)

The Musée National du Moyen Âge (National Museum of the Middle Ages) is housed in the ruins of the Roman baths and the adjacent hôtel de Cluny The buildings are significant objects by themselves, but the collection—which includes numerous medieval tapestries—is also rich. It is most famous for the six-tapestry cycle The Lady and the Unicorn. Photography was allowed through much of the museum, but not of this famous cycle.

Ruins of Roman Baths

The baths are visible from the nearby streets This view is from Boulevard Saint-Germain. Parts have been restored. The glass in the windows of the frigidarium is not original.

Ruins of baths

Other parts of the baths have neither been restored nor incorporated into the museum. The site has been tidied up and the fence keeps out the tourists.


Cluny Courtyard

I entered the museum through the courtyard of the 15th century hôtel. It was founded as a town house for the abbot of Cluny (a Benedictine monastery) and is a great example of late medieval architecture.

Detail Cluny Roofline

A closer look at the mansion's roofline. More gargoyles! (Required by law, it seems.)


Roman wall behind capitals

Part of the museum incorporates the Roman ruins such as this wall behind a display of architectural capitals.

Medieval panels hung on Roman wall

The medieval panels on the Roman wall are an interesting contrast.


Capital with Dragons

Capital Dragons.

Capital with Griffins

Capital Griffins.

Tapestry Les Vendanges

A medieval tapestry about the harvesting grapes and making wine.

Tactile model of Les Vendanges Tapestry

A tactile model of the tapestry Les Vendanges. They weren't numerous, but I saw models like this at locations around the city.


Ceiling of chapel

The ceiling of the abbot's private chapel.

Narwhal horn (Unicorn horn)

A unicorn's horn. OK, a narwhal's horn.


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