Cathédrale Saint-Maurice de Vienne

Vienne

A vessel of stone that saw the Order of the Temple born and die, between Romanesque grandeur and Gothic brilliance.

Built on a site occupied without interruption since the 4th century, the present cathedral of Vienne was rebuilt from 1030–1070 under Archbishop Léger, before the Romanesque and then Gothic building we know today was begun between 1120 and 1150, with a choir and high nave completed in the 13th century. The facade, raised from the 14th to the 16th century, was finished only in 1529. Consecrated by Pope Innocent IV in 1251 under the name of Saint-Maurice, it hosted in 1311–1312 the Council of Vienne, remembered for having ordered the suppression of the Order of the Temple. In 1562, during the Wars of Religion, the Huguenots destroyed most of the stained glass and the sculptures of the facade.

Getting there : Listed as a monument historique (historic monument) on the very first list of 1840; under restoration since 2006 (north tower restored 2015–2017); co-cathedral of the diocese of Grenoble-Vienne; free admission, in the town centre of Vienne.

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

Ambient sound