Saint-Gatien Cathedral

If you’re a fan of the flamboyant Gothic style, Saint-Gatien cathedral is the place for you! Its construction began in the 13th century and lasted for about 400 years! Its finely decorated façade resembles stone lace! It’s truly magnificent work. And the cathedral is immense! It stretches 100 meters in length, with 30 meters under the vaults, and the two towers are respectively 68 and 69 meters tall. From down here, can you tell which one is the tallest? Not so easy! The first cathedral to rise on this site was built by the Bishop of Tours around 340. After being burned and restored, it was reconsecrated in the 6th century. Then, six centuries later, history repeated itself. It was rebuilt and once again burned, suffering from the wars waged between Louis VII, the King of France, and Henry II, the King of England, in the 12th century. And thus, from this reconstruction site, which would span the centuries to come, our magnificent Cathedral of Saint Gatien,which you can admire today was born. Entry is free, so don’t hesitate to step inside and be amazed by the beauty of the stained glass windows. You’ll also see the beautiful tomb of the children of Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII, superbly sculpted and dating back to the 16th century. The cathedral once possessed four superb tapestries from the 18th century, depicting biblical scenes and classified as Historical Monuments. They were stolen on the night of March 27, 1903, by the famous French burglar, sailor, and anarchist, Marius Jacob. You can also visit the cloister of the psaltery from the cathedral, on a paid tour.