Coutances Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coutances CathedralCathédrale Notre-Dame de Coutances |
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Overview of Coutances Cathedral from the north
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic |
| Province | Diocese of Coutances |
| Region | Normandy |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Coutances, France  |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | church |
| Architectural style | French Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1210 |
| Completed | 1274 |
Coutances Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Coutances) is an amazing Gothic Catholic cathedral in Coutances, Normandy, France. It was built between 1210 and 1274. This grand church even used parts of an older, Norman-style cathedral that was there before.
It is the main church for the Bishop of Coutances and Avranches.
Standing about 80 meters (295 feet) tall, it really stands out in the town. You can even see it from the island of Jersey! It's a great example of the Gothic style from Normandy, with its tall, straight, vertical lines.
History of the Cathedral
The very first church in Coutances was built around the 400s by Saint Ereptiolus. But this early church was destroyed when the Normans invaded in the 800s.
The site was empty for about 150 years. Then, in the mid-1000s, Bishop Robert of Coutances started rebuilding the cathedral. He began with the main part, called the nave, in a style known as Romanesque or Norman.
After Bishop Robert died, Geoffrey de Montbray continued the work. He became bishop in 1048. Geoffrey was good friends with William the Conqueror, who later became King of England. William even came to the opening of the new cathedral in 1056. The cathedral got a lot of money from William's conquest of England, which helped with its building.
Later, the Romanesque cathedral was badly damaged by a fire. So, in 1210, Bishop Hugues de Morville started building the current Gothic cathedral. They kept the same size and used many parts of the old Romanesque building. You can still see parts of the older walls and towers in the current cathedral.
The new Gothic cathedral was finished in 1274. It has stayed mostly the same ever since. Its two tall towers reach almost 80 meters high. The special octagonal tower in the middle, called a lantern tower, is over 57 meters tall.
The cathedral faced some damage during the French Wars of Religion in 1562, but it was fixed soon after. In 1794, during the French Revolution, many statues were removed or damaged. The cathedral was even used as a theater, a grain storage, and a "Temple of Reason." But even with these changes, its main structure remained safe.
During World War II, much of Coutances town was damaged, but the cathedral was lucky and remained almost untouched.
What to See Inside
Above the main entrance, there's a modern window. It shows the people who helped build the cathedral in 1048 and 1218: bishops Geoffroy de Montbray and Hugues de Morville. In the middle, you can see Saint Ereptiole, who is believed to have built the very first church here.
In the south aisle, which is a side section, there's a pillar with a cool carving of medieval ladies.
The lantern tower in the center of the cathedral is designed to bring in a lot of light. Your eyes are drawn to the circle in the middle, which is meant to represent Heaven. The square parts represent the Earth, and the octagon shape stands for the Resurrection.
Behind the main altar, there are six pairs of pillars holding up the roof. People say these represent the Twelve Apostles. The windows in this area are from the 1400s.
In the south ambulatory (a walkway around the altar), you'll find the Chapel of Saint Joseph. It has a wall painting from 1381 that shows the Holy Trinity: God the Father, Christ on the Cross, and the Holy Spirit as a dove.
The Chapel of Saint Laud, also in the south ambulatory, is one of the oldest parts of the cathedral, built in the 1200s. Its stained glass window shows scenes from Saint Lo's life. One part shows him celebrating mass with the Holy Spirit appearing as a dove above the altar.
The north ambulatory has the Chapel of Saint Marcouf, with a window showing stories from his life. This area also holds the holy oils used in church ceremonies like baptism and confirmation.
In the north transept (the arm of the cross-shaped church), there's a 13th-century stained-glass window. It shows scenes from the lives of saints like Thomas Becket, George, and Blaise.
The floor of the north aisle has medieval tiles. Some are decorated with the fleur-de-lys, which is a lily symbol of the French royal family and the Virgin Mary. Other tiles show the arms of Castile. The baptismal font is also in the north aisle.
Coutances Cathedral has had an organ since before 1468. The organ you see today was built in 1728. It has four keyboards, 51 stops (which change the sound), and a pedal board. This large organ partly covers the west window.
Above the south porch, you can see the symbols of the four Evangelists: Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Images for kids
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Coutances Cathedral (1210-1274)
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Vaults and lantern tower of Coutances Cathedral in Normandy (1210-1274)
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See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Coutances para niños
- List of Gothic Cathedrals in Europe
- History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
