Cathédrale et cloître d'Elne

Elne

Former episcopal seat of Roussillon, Elne keeps its cathedral dedicated to Saints Eulalia of Mérida and Julia, whose high altar was consecrated in 1069. The building work, begun in the 11th century, continued into the 13th. On the north flank opens the jewel of the place: a marble cloister whose oldest gallery dates from the 12th century, its capitals peopled with dragons, lions and religious scenes — including a famous "Quo vadis" — and onto which six rib-vaulted chapels were grafted from the 13th to the 15th century. Elne's history is also tragic: in 1285, during the Aragonese Crusade, the troops of Philip III the Bold attacked the town and the cathedral's portal was set on fire. An ambitious Gothic east end was undertaken from 1317 to 1336, but remained unfinished. In 1602, the episcopal seat was officially transferred to Perpignan, and Elne, which had been the true religious capital of the region, kept its cathedral as a memento of its greatness. The cloister was listed as a monument historique as early as 1840, the church in 1875; 17th-century paintings and altarpieces still honour the two patron saints there.

Getting there : Upper town of Elne, 12 km south of Perpignan by the D914; parking below the old town, then a walk uphill. Cathedral and cloister open to visitors (ticket office at the cloister); Masses still held in the building.

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

Ambient sound