Perpignan Cathedral

Perpignan, France

Perpignan Cathedral construction was begun in 1324 by King Sancho of Majorca, and later finished in the 15th century. It replaced the Cathedral of Elna, and therefore the church was at first the seat of the Bishop of Elne, and then, from 1602, of the Bishop of Perpignan.

The cathedral was built in the Catalan Gothic style, because of its association with the Kingdom of Majorca. It has a wide nave (80 meters long, 18 m wide, and 26 m tall) made of seven cross-vaults, and features a short transept and apse, whose vault features seven keys.

The cathedral's western façade was never finished. When being restored in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Gothic window of the façade was rebuilt, as it had previously been substituted by a simple rectangular opening. The façade also features a portico and clock-tower, which date from the 18th century.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1324
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Late Capetians (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Christophe Pilut (2 years ago)
Beautiful cathedral at the heart of the Perpignan, dedicated to St John the Baptist. I love the Catalan Gothic style and the seven cross-vaults are all different beauties. Highly recommended visit, not only in Summer when it's so warm outside ;-)
Eli Wovcha (2 years ago)
Beautiful cathedral in a beautiful city, the each chapel is stunning. When I visited the church was beautifully decorated for Easter. Tip: the interior of the church remains cool even on hot days in Perpignan. ;).
Anthony Shoraka (2 years ago)
Perpignan Cathedral is a must see if you are visiting Perpignan. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, located in the town of Perpignan in Languedoc-Roussillon. It is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The cathedral was built in the Catalan Gothic style, because of its association with the Kingdom of Majorca. It has a wide nave made of seven cross-vaults, and features a short transept and apse, whose vault features seven keys.
Firrita VL (4 years ago)
Gorgeous cathedral. You could spend hours examining alle the beautiful detailed works of art!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Clementinum

The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.

Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.