Poitiers Cathedral

Poitiers, France

Poiters Cathedral construction began in 1162 by Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine on the ruins of a Roman basilica, and work was well advanced by the end of the 12th century. It is the largest medieval monument in the city of Poitiers.

It is built in the Romanesque and Early Gothic styles, the latter predominating. It consists of three naves almost equal in height and width, all three of which decrease towards the west, thus enhancing the perspective. Its length is 308 ft., and the keystone of the central vaulted roof is 89 ft. above the pavement. There is no apse, and the exterior generally has a heavy appearance. The principal front, which is broad relative to its height, has unfinished side-towers 105 and 110 ft. tall, begun in the 13th century.

Most of the windows of the choir and the transepts preserve their stained glass of the 12th and 13th centuries; the end window, which is certainly the first in the order of time, contains the figures of Henry II and Eleanor. The choir stalls, carved between 1235 and 1257, are among the oldest in France.

On the night of 25 December 1681 the organ was destroyed by fire. It was not until 1770-78 that a campaign was launched to build a replacement. François-Henri Clicquot, at that time the leading organ-builder in France, was appointed to undertake the work, but died in Pentecost 1790 before completing the work. His son, Claude-François Clicquot, finished the job, handing it over for presentation in March 1791. The instrument is a beautiful example of eighteenth-century organ design, and is still largely intact.

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Details

Founded: 1162
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Radek Dohnal (9 months ago)
Magnificant cathedral in the heart of city Poitiers. Its similar to Paris cathedral. Free entrance.
FEDDAR MATDAR (10 months ago)
Very majestic, beautiful place to visit.
natasha Rode-Christoffersen (13 months ago)
Absolutely stunning so beautiful and incredible!
Artur Victoria (3 years ago)
Saint-Pierre de Poitiers Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Poitiers, in the Vienne department and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is the seat of the archdiocese of Poitiers. In addition to its title of archiepiscopal church, it has had the rank of minor basilica since March 1, 1912. Less well known than the Notre-Dame-la-Grande church, this immense stone vessel is nevertheless the largest religious building in the city ​​and a landmark visible from afar in the urban landscape. Built on the initiative of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II Plantagenêt from 1160, consecrated in 1379, it is in the Angevin Gothic style (use of curved vaults on a square plan) and is similar to the hall churches by its division into three vessels of almost equal height. The façade, flanked by two unfinished towers, borrows elements from the stylistic grammar of northern France. The interior preserves stalls from the 13th century and a collection of historiated stained-glass windows dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, including a Crucifixion, one of the peaks of French medieval stained glass art. The current cathedral was begun in the second half of the twelfth century, around 1162 according to Abbé Auber; it was financed by the bishop and the cathedral chapter but also perhaps by the Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204), and her husband Henry II of England Plantagenêt (1133-1189), as by all the faithful. The construction was long because the church was not definitively consecrated until October 17, 1379. The construction was carried out in seven successive campaigns. They did not follow a predefined plan, which explains many repentances and resumptions during the construction site. Indeed, the initial party, an Angevin Gothic with curved vaults, appeared more and more archaic as the work lengthened. The desire to build up to date clashed with the constructive choices made during previous work.
Bart Eekhaut (4 years ago)
It is the outside that makes this building into a cathedral as it is spoiled with 3 different arches heavily decorated. The interior only has in parts of the church his medieval paintwork and it also contains some exceptional glass windows which are abundantly detailed with scenes from the live of Jesus.
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