Crypte de la cathédrale Saint-Étienne d'Auxerre et son Christ à cheval

Auxerre

Beneath the Gothic choir of Auxerre cathedral an older world survives. The crypt, built from 1023 to 1030, is the substructure of the Romanesque cathedral, itself heir to a succession of sanctuaries on the same spot since the 5th century. One descends into it as if travelling back in time: squat pillars, half-light, the chill of a burial vault. And there, on the ceiling of one bay, appears an image unique in the West: Christ on horseback. Mounted on a white horse, holding a rod of command like a banner, he is escorted by four angel riders arranged in a cross — a vision drawn directly from the Apocalypse of John, where the Word of God appears on a white horse at the head of the heavenly armies. Painted in the 11th century with a line of striking simplicity, ochre and white on a dark ground, this fresco has no known equivalent in Western art: nowhere else is Christ depicted as a horseman. A second ensemble, of the 13th century, shows Christ in Majesty flanked by two seven-branched candlesticks. Climbing back to the light, one passes through the Gothic cathedral dedicated to Saint Stephen, the first martyr: stained glass of the 15th and 16th centuries, sculpted portals, a treasury that includes a Deposition from the Cross by Luca Penni. But it is the little crypt that leaves the strongest impression: a thousand years of guarded darkness, and that white rider galloping above the visitors since the reign of King Robert the Pious.

Getting there : Place Saint-Étienne, in the historic centre of Auxerre. Cathedral open every day 9 am–6 pm, free admission; admission charge for the crypt (about €3.50, combined crypt + treasury ticket about €5), seasonal opening hours. Coordinates given for the cathedral.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound