The Cathedral of Le Mans,
- John Springman
- Jun 2, 2016
- 2 min read
We ran across this cathedral in Le Mans on our way to Caen. The Cathedral Saint Julien is a religious building located in the city of Le Mans , in the Sarthe . It is the symbol of the diocese and the bishop of Le Mans where the bishop of the city is seated. It is one of the largest buildings of the Gothic - Romanesque era of France and the only example in the West.
It is a medieval testimony of the architectural style of the Angevin Gothic .
The building is often compared to the cathedrals of Reims . Less known, that Le Mans has undergone many constructions and reconstructions since its foundation. Begun in 1060 by Bishop Vulgrin, it was completed in its present form around 1430. It was never truly finished. Attacked by the air pollution over the years, subject to natural aging, the Cathedral Saint Julien is an almost constant renovation project. It houses the tombs of Saint Julien and Charles of Anjou . Located on the hill of Old Mans, this unique building has a high peak tower some 64 meters high, making it the tallest building in the entire Le Mans region. It thus offers a panoramic view over the entire country.
With 283,613 visitors , the Saint-Julien cathedral was the most visited monument of the Loire Valley in 2009.
It has some of the most beautiful stained glass I've ever seen, but it is hard to get a good picture of stained glass when it is not on the same level as you are, and these are mostly high up in the building. Since most of the congregants of ancient churches were illiterate, the stained glass, the friezes and tapestries, and even the statuary are meant to tell the stories of Christendom.
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