Périgueux Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Périgueux CathedralCathédrale Saint-Front de Périgueux |
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St. Front's Cathedral, Périgueux
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| 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 |
Périgueux Cathedral is a large Catholic church in the city of Périgueux, France. It became a cathedral in 1669. A cathedral is the main church of a bishop's area. This cathedral is named after Saint Front. Its full French name is Cathédrale Saint-Front de Périgueux.
Before this cathedral, another church called Saint Stephen's was the main one. It is still used today. Périgueux Cathedral is the home church for the Bishop of Périgueux and Sarlat. It is also a special part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. These routes are old pilgrimage paths.
Who was Saint Front?
The cathedral gets its name from Saint Front. He was the first bishop of Périgueux. Stories say he lived in the 4th century. He was sent from Rome to spread Christianity in the area of Perigord. He was buried near his quiet place, just outside the old Roman city of Vesunna.
History of the Cathedral
A small chapel was first built on this spot around the 4th or 5th century. Later, in 976, a bishop named Frotaire built the Abbey of Saint-Front here. An abbey is a place where monks or nuns live and worship.
The abbey church was officially opened in 1047. It held the tomb of Saint Front. This tomb was carved in 1077 by a monk named Guimaunond. The tomb was very fancy, with many jewels and sculptures. One sculpture was an angel with a halo made of glass pieces. This special tomb is now kept in the Périgord Museum.
Sadly, the abbey burned down in 1120. Only a part of the church and some of the old Romanesque cloister remained. A cloister is a covered walkway, usually around a courtyard in a monastery.
The cathedral stands in the middle of Périgueux. It has been recognized as a French Historical Monument since 1840. This means it is a very important old building. The Saint Front Cathedral was rebuilt by an architect named Paul Abadie. This work took a long time, from 1852 to 1895. Only the bell tower and the underground crypts were kept from the older church. These parts are from the 12th century.
Since 1998, the cathedral has been part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. This makes it a globally important historical site.
Cathedral Architecture
The design of Saint Front Cathedral was inspired by St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. The cathedral is shaped like a Greek cross. This means all four arms of the cross are the same length.
It has five large domes with small towers on top. These domes show a clear link to older buildings from the Middle East. These buildings inspired the architects of Saint-Front Cathedral. The domes used to be different sizes. But architect Paul Abadie changed them to be all the same size and perfectly balanced. The huge pillars that hold up the domes are 6 meters (about 20 feet) wide. The domes themselves cannot be visited by the public.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Périgueux para niños
- French Romanesque architecture
- History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
Sources
- Catholic Hierarchy: Diocese of Périgueux-Sarlat
- Cathédrale Saint-Front in the Structurae database
