Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral

So, yes, I admit, it’s not the kind of cathedral you’re used to seeing, you know, proudly standing in the centre of a town. But you should know that it looks nothing like what was originally planned! This was the last cathedral to be built in France and the foundation stone was laid in 1854 with plans that were in keeping with the times: grandiose, extravagant Gothic and so on. Construction began on a square, the old feudal mound site, that was far too small for a cathedral. But that’s not all, it also took 145 years to be finished. You can see how trends change from one year to the next, so just imagine what it’s like within a century and a half! Through into that a couple of wars, shortages of materials and lack of money and you will have a rough idea of how hard it has been to bring this cathedral to life! The spires, which were to reach a height of 115 metres, were abandoned and a temporary bell tower was hastily built with no architectural link to the rest of the building. In the end, it was decided that the bell tower was good enough for the job and would stay permanently! Moreover, as it was intended to be temporary, it was built with very small foundations of barely 1 metre high. Against all odds, it held! The modern facade, installed in 1991, may give it a sober, even austere look, but the 110 translucent white marble slabs that let in orange light are unique. The rose window is by Ladislas Kijno, a great artist who is considered the spiritual father of French street art. The cathedral is also closely linked to Notre Dame de la Treille, as it house her statue who works miracles. And not just any miracle! As early as 1254, it began restoring sight to the blind and even raising the dead! In the 17th century, the church credited it for 54 miracles. It was in front of this church that Louis XIV swore to protect the freedom of the people of Lille. Don’t look for a miracle today, the statue is only a replica as the original was stolen in 1959 and it is probably working its miracles elsewhere