Apt Cathedral, Apt, France - SpottingHistory

Cathédrale Sainte-Anne d'Apt is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral located in the town of Apt in Provence. It was the seat of the Bishop of Apt until the French Revolution.

Pope Pius IX granted a Pontifical decree of coronation towards its venerated Marian image through the former Archbishop of Avignon, Monsigneur Louis Anne Dubreil on 9 September 1877. The white marble image depicting a child Blessed Virgin Mary is notable for having been a late creation of the renowned religious sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni.

History

The cathedral is believed to have been built on the site where Saint Auspice was buried. Tradition holds that Auspice became the custodian of the relics of Saint Anne, which it is said he placed in a subterranean grotto to protect them from desecration by the barbarians. The church became a pilgrimage site. The former Queen of France, Anne of Austria came there in 1623. The church was the ecclesiastical seat of the diocese of Apt, until the diocese was dissolved in 1801.

Architecture

The cathedral combines a variety of architectural styles from Romanesque to Baroque. The lower crypt is part of the original 1st-century Roman building, used as a place of worship as early as the Carolingian era, and consists of a corridor leading to a vault where, according to local legend, Saint Anne's veil was found.

The upper crypt dates back to about 1056 and consists of a small nave (around 8 metres or 26 feet) and an apse.

References:

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User Reviews

My Moments (5 months ago)
The Basilica of Ste-Anne, also known as the Cathedral of Sainte-Anne d'Apt, is a Roman Catholic church in the old town of the French city of Apt. The oldest part of the cathedral dates back to Roman antiquity.

Jc Frejya (7 months ago)
À lost treasure in a town that seems to have hit hard times

Jack Do (7 months ago)
A beautiful church that is worth entering.

Sandra Moreno (2 years ago)
Superb building dominated by the statue of Saint Anne who watches over the city, you can visit the cathedral during opening hours and the script with the relics of Saint Anne by appointment on a guided tour. The interior is magnificently decorated and at Christmas time a superb nativity scene is created every year, a must-see!

Steve Rousseau (3 years ago)
Amazing under appreciated treasure. Needs to be part of an official tour or call ahead for special viewing of the crypts due to past history of vandalism.

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