TEXT:
The Saint-Madeleine basilica in Vezelay is the largest Romanesque church in France. The monastery was founded by Giraud De Roussillon in the ninth century. It isn't completely Romanesque. There is a vast Gothic choir. The Romanesque nave is quickly prolonged by the narthex. This basilica presents the junction between the Romanesque and Gothic styles. In the background, basically, is the nave with barrel vaults, pillars and traverse arches. These barrel vaults are semicircular cradles made of stone. The choir is composed mostly of ribbed vaults. The vault of intersection of ribs of Gothic origin, carries the vault. In the center, there is a dome of pendant, showing the presence of the transept crossing. It is close to the ambulatory and the adsidioles. The massive forms of the Romanesque art give way to vertical lines overhanging the beams of columns close to the Gothic style.

VOCABULARY:
The basilica: la basilique
The Gothic choir: Le choeur Gothique
Romanesque: L'art Roman
The junction between Romanesque and Gothic style: La jonction entre le style Roman et le style Gothique
The nave: La nef
Narthex: A ceilinged porch or vestibule situated west of the Nave and Aisles: L'entrée de la basilique
Barrel Vault: Les voûtes en berceau
Pillars: Les piliers
Traverse arches: Les arc transversales
Semicircular cradles: voûte plein cintre
The vault of intersection of ribs: la voûte en croisées d'ogives
Dome in pendant: dôme en pendentif
Transept: Le transept
Transept crossing: croisée des transepts
Ambulatory: le déambulatoire
Absidioles: les absidioles