Saint-Étienne Cathedral

Saint-Étienne Cathedral is the crown jewel of Bourges and it’s sure to leave visitors speechless! Built between the 12th and 13th centuries, it was way ahead of its time. The builders used highly modern techniques to create an edifice with no transept, in a brand new Gothic style, and added a number of stunning 13th-century stained-glass windows. No wonder it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site! It’s huge, beautifully proportioned, and adorned with remarkable sculptures. Featuring 5 portals in total, the cathedral’s façade is nothing short of monumental. It’s in fact the biggest façade of any Gothic building in France, measuring 41 meters, and over 73 meters if you count the pillar on the far right. They actually had to build that pillar in a hurry to hold up the South Tower, which was about to collapse due to cracks as early as the 13th century. It is nicknamed the “deaf tower”, because it has never had any bells. The North Tower wasn’t much sturdier – it collapsed in 1506. It was rebuilt over the next 30 years, and came to be known as Tour de Beurre, that is, the Butter Tower. King Louis XII needed money for the reconstruction, so he invited the locals to make donations. In exchange, they could skip fasting. Rather tempting! As you can imagine, quite a few paid their share… Today, you can climb the 396 steps to the top for a fantastic view of Bourges and its surroundings. Trust me, it’s worth the climb! The cathedral also has a Romanesque crypt, which houses the relics of Saint Étienne, the tombs of numerous archbishops and the recumbent statue of the Duke of Berry. But back to the cathedral! To this day, we don’t know to whom we owe this masterpiece – we have no clue who built it. But one thing’s for sure: their talent and brilliance are regularly praised by the 600,000 visitors who come to the Cathedral every year! This architectural treasure is the pride of the people of Bourges!