Abbatiale de Saint-Gilles-du-Gard

Saint-Gilles

In the Middle Ages, this sanctuary built over the tomb of a legendary hermit was the fourth most important pilgrimage site in all of Christendom, after Jerusalem, Rome and Compostela — vast crowds came from across Europe to venerate the relics of Saint Giles. Its sculpted façade, a masterpiece of Provençal Romanesque art adorned with a frieze depicting the Passion of Christ, inspired several American architects, who reproduced it almost identically in New York and Pittsburgh. Devastated by the Huguenots in 1562 during the Wars of Religion, the abbey church nonetheless still has an intact spiral staircase, a technical feat so remarkable that it remains, to this day, an essential step in the training of stonemason craftsmen.

Getting there : Free access to the choir, paid entry for the crypt

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

Ambient sound