Carcassonne Cathedral

Carcassonne, France

Carcassonne Cathedral was built in the 13th century as a parish church, dedicated to Saint Michael. Following war damage in the 14th century it was rebuilt as a fortified church. In 1803 St. Michael's was elevated to cathedral status, replacing the earlier cathedral dedicated to Saints Nazarius and Celsus, now the Basilica of St. Nazaire and St. Celse.

The cathedral plan is characterised by its relative simplicity. It forms a single nave with a 20 metre high vault, lined with several lateral chapels. The chior screen has retained its 14th century stained glass. The sober façade has a single decorative feature in the form of a large rosette 8 meters in diameter, and the adjoining bell tower is relatively massive.

References:

Address

Rue Voltaire 39, Carcassonne, France

See all sites in Carcassonne

Details

Founded: 14th century
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Valois Dynasty and Hundred Year's War (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.tourism-carcassonne.co.uk

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (1,2 km)
Cháteau Comtal (1,1 km)
Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus (1,2 km)

St. Mary Magdalene Church (32,3 km)
Minerve (35,7 km)
Mirepoix Cathedral (41 km)
Château de Peyrepertuse (41,3 km)
Castres Cathedral (44,6 km)
Goya Museum (44,5 km)
Saint-Hilaire Abbey (13,5 km)
Alet Cathedral Ruins (25,2 km)
Château de Quéribus (47,1 km)

User Reviews

MrsWayfarer (3 years ago)
We attended Sunday mass here and it was very solemn. I liked how the stained glass provided the church different light shades. Nice church for quiet contemplation and prayer.

James Parker (4 years ago)
Gothic churches are cool. Gothic fashion, not so much.

Marie Holm, PhD (4 years ago)
Impressive cathedral, with looming ambiance and sparkles of light shining through the stained glass. Only downside for the moment is the maintenance work around it, but once done the paths will be smooth and such.

viv Ketchen (6 years ago)
Just a beautiful serene place.

Nancy Fink (6 years ago)
Beautiful Romanesque cathedral with low door. Painting of walls and columns a la Middle Ages is superb. Early Gothic additions near altar shows changes as church got bigger.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright medioman

Historic Site of the week

Duino Castle

Duino Castle was built by the Wallsee family in 1389 on the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. It replaced an older castle from the 11th century. Over time, the Wallsee family disappeared and the castle, after having been used as a prison, became the residence of the Luogar and Hofer.

At the end of the 19th century it became the property of Prince Alexander von Thurn und Taxis from the Czech branch of the House of Thurn and Taxis. It remains with the family to this day with his great-grandson Prince Carlo Alessandro della Torre e Tasso, Duke of Castel Duino the current owner. The castle has been opened to the public as a museum and park.