Périgueux Cathedral facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Périgueux Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Front de Périgueux
St. Front's Cathedral, Périgueux
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Province	Bishop of Périgueux and Sarlat
Region	Dordogne
Rite	Latin
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Status	Active
Location
Location	Périgueux, France
Architecture
Architectural type	church
Architectural style	Romanesque
Groundbreaking	10th century
Completed	19th century

The Périgueux Cathedral is a large Catholic church located in the city of Périgueux, France. It became a cathedral in 1669. A cathedral is the main church of a diocese, which is an area managed by a bishop. This cathedral is named after Saint Front [fr]. In French, its full name is Cathédrale Saint-Front de Périgueux.

Before this cathedral, there was another important church in Périgueux dedicated to Saint Stephen. That church is still used today. Périgueux Cathedral is the main church for the Bishop of Périgueux and Sarlat. This name for the diocese has been used since 1854. The cathedral is also part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. These routes are famous pilgrimage paths.

Who Was Saint Front?

The cathedral is named after Saint Front, who was the very first bishop of Périgueux. According to old stories, he lived in the 4th century. He was made a bishop in Rome and then traveled to the Perigord region of France. His mission was to spread Christianity there. He was buried near his small home, just outside the ancient Roman city of Vesunna.

A Look at the Cathedral's History

Early Beginnings

The first small chapel was built on this spot a very long time ago, around the 4th or 5th century. Later, in 976, a bishop named Frotaire had the Abbey of Saint-Front built where the church stood. An abbey is a type of monastery. This abbey was officially opened in 1047.

Inside the abbey, the vaulted choir (the area near the altar) held the tomb of Saint Front. This tomb was carved in 1077 by a monk named Guimaunond. The tomb was very fancy, decorated with many precious stones and sculptures. One famous sculpture was an angel with a halo made of glass pieces. This special angel is now kept safe in the Périgord Museum.

Fires and Rebuilding

Sadly, the abbey caught fire in 1120. Most of it was destroyed. Only a part of the church and some of the Romanesque cloister (a covered walkway) on the south side survived.

Saint-Front Cathedral before its big restoration by Paul Abadie. This photo was taken by Médéric Mieusement before 1893.

The cathedral buildings are right in the middle of Périgueux. Because of its importance, Saint Front Cathedral was named a French Historical Monument in 1840. This means it's a protected building.

The cathedral you see today was largely rebuilt. An architect named Paul Abadie worked on it from 1852 to 1895. He kept only the bell tower and the underground crypts from the older 12th-century structures. Everything else was new or heavily changed.

In 1998, the cathedral became part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. This recognizes its global importance.

Cathedral Architecture and Design

Inspired by Other Buildings

The design of Saint Front Cathedral was inspired by famous buildings like St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. The cathedral is shaped like a Greek cross. This means all four arms of the cross are about the same length.

Unique Domes

The cathedral has five large domes with small turrets on top. These domes show a clear connection to religious buildings from the East. These Eastern designs were a big inspiration for the architects of Saint-Front Cathedral.

Originally, the domes of Saint-Front Cathedral were different sizes. However, when Paul Abadie rebuilt the cathedral, he redesigned them. He made all the domes the same size and made them look perfectly balanced. The huge pillars that hold up these domes are 6 meters (about 20 feet) wide! The domes themselves are not open for visitors to go inside.

Gallery

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  The main front of the cathedral.

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  The domes and turrets added by Paul Abadie in the mid-19th century.

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  A view of the bell tower.

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  Another view of the bell tower.

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  A general view of the cathedral's interior.

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  A pulpit from the 17th century.

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  The central chandelier inside the cathedral.

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  Parts of a 16th-century wall painting in a chapel.

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  The Susanna and the elders stained-glass window (1881) by Edouard Didron.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de Périgueux para niños

• French Romanesque architecture
• History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes