Langres Cathedral was erected in the 12th century, and is dedicated to the 3rd-century martyr Mammes of Caesarea. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Langres, and is a national monument. The nave and interior are in the Romanesque and French Gothic style while the later facade is an example of French Neoclassical architecture.
Exterior
The classical west front or facade was constructed between 1754 and 1768, when it appeared that the Romanesque towers were in danger of collapse. The columns on the facade have capitals of different styles at each level, rising from the Doric order the to Ionic order to the Corinthian order, a typical feature of the classical style. The tile roof of the cathedral is from a different tradition, that of the architecture of Burgundy. The flying buttresses that support the walls of the nave are largely hidden by walls of the adjoining cloister and chapel, but those of the hemispherical chevet at the east end are dramatically visible.
Interior
The interior is very spacious; 94 meters long, 43 meters long wide, with a height of 23 meters in the nave. It has three levels; very high galleries supported by massive pillars; a narrow gallery, or triforium, without windows; and the high windows of the upper level, reaching upward to the vaults. Corinthian columns rise from the pillars and pass between the windows to support the vaults. Bands of sculpture in vegetal motifs decorate the triforium.
At the east end, the round point of the choir is surrounded by eight Corinthian columns, forming broken arches and decorated with molding, The apse contains five small chapels; Around the apse are five chapels; only the center, or axis chapel, dates to the earliest Romanesque cathedral; the others were constructed in the 14th century.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross
The Chapel of the Holy Cross was constructed on the north side of the cathedral between 1547 and 1549, funded by a donation from a chanoine of the cathedral, Jean de Amoncourt. It is considered a particularly accomplished example of French Renaissance architecture. The most distinctive feature is the barrel-vaulted ceiling, decorated with caissons, or sculpted panels, alternating in form from rectangular to oval, each decorated with elaborate designs. The vaults of the chapel are supported by ionic and corninthian columns, while the retable is crowned by composite elements of the different orders. The floor is decorated with faience tiles, made 1551, and restored in the 19th century.
Art and decoration
A considerable portion of the decorative woodwork, as well as the church organ, was acquired at the beginning of the 19th century, following the destruction of Morimond Abbey during the French Revolution. Another exceptional element of decoration is the 16th century faience tile floor of the Chapel of Amoncourt, which designated an historic landmark.
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