Cathédrale Saint-Étienne d'Agde

Agde

A black basalt fortress bristling with battlements, the only volcanic-stone cathedral on the French coast.

Built of black basalt quarried from the neighbouring Mont Saint-Loup, the cathedral of Saint-Étienne in Agde is one of the most striking examples of a fortified Romanesque church on the Mediterranean coast. Its fortification, begun in 1173, rises on the foundations of a 5th-century Romanesque church, itself built, according to local tradition, on an ancient Greek temple dedicated to Diana. The keep rises to 35 metres and the walls, two to three metres thick, are pierced with machicolations and crenellations. Episcopal seat of Agde from the 5th century until the Revolution, it remains the symbol of the Greek city of Agde.

Getting there : Listed as a monument historique (historic monument) in 1840; open to visitors.

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

Ambient sound