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Nicolas Flamel

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Nicolas Flamel

Birth
Pontoise, Departement du Val-d'Oise, Île-de-France, France
Death
22 Mar 1418 (aged 87–88)
Paris, City of Paris, Île-de-France, France
Burial
Paris, City of Paris, Île-de-France, France Add to Map
Memorial ID
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The historical Flamel lived in Paris in the 14th and 15th centuries, and his life is one of the best documented in the history of medieval alchemy.He ran two shops as a scribe and married Perenelle in 1368. She brought the wealth of two previous husbands to the marriage. The French Catholic couple owned several properties and contributed financially to churches, sometimes by commissioning sculptures.Later in life, they were noted for their wealth and philanthropy.

Flamel lived into his 80s, and in 1410 designed his own tombstone, which was carved with the images of Jesus Christ, Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The tombstone is preserved at the Musée de Cluny in Paris. Records show that Flamel died in 1418.He was buried in Paris at the end of the nave of the former Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie.His will, dated 22 November 1416, indicates that he was generous but that he did not have the extraordinary wealth of later alchemical legend. There is no indication that the real Flamel of history was involved in alchemy, pharmacy or medicine.

One of Flamel's houses still stands in Paris, at 51 rue de Montmorency. It is the oldest stone house in the city.There is an old inscription on the wall, which states, "We, plowmen and women living at the porch of this house, built in 1407, are requested to say every day an 'Our Father' and an 'Ave Maria' praying God that His grace forgive poor and dead sinners." As of 2008, the ground floor housed a restaurant.A Paris street near the Tour Saint-Jacques, the rue Nicolas Flamel, has been named after him; it intersects with the rue Pernelle, named after his wife.
The historical Flamel lived in Paris in the 14th and 15th centuries, and his life is one of the best documented in the history of medieval alchemy.He ran two shops as a scribe and married Perenelle in 1368. She brought the wealth of two previous husbands to the marriage. The French Catholic couple owned several properties and contributed financially to churches, sometimes by commissioning sculptures.Later in life, they were noted for their wealth and philanthropy.

Flamel lived into his 80s, and in 1410 designed his own tombstone, which was carved with the images of Jesus Christ, Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The tombstone is preserved at the Musée de Cluny in Paris. Records show that Flamel died in 1418.He was buried in Paris at the end of the nave of the former Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie.His will, dated 22 November 1416, indicates that he was generous but that he did not have the extraordinary wealth of later alchemical legend. There is no indication that the real Flamel of history was involved in alchemy, pharmacy or medicine.

One of Flamel's houses still stands in Paris, at 51 rue de Montmorency. It is the oldest stone house in the city.There is an old inscription on the wall, which states, "We, plowmen and women living at the porch of this house, built in 1407, are requested to say every day an 'Our Father' and an 'Ave Maria' praying God that His grace forgive poor and dead sinners." As of 2008, the ground floor housed a restaurant.A Paris street near the Tour Saint-Jacques, the rue Nicolas Flamel, has been named after him; it intersects with the rue Pernelle, named after his wife.

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