Angers Cathedral
West front of Angers Cathedral. Photo © Othman Bouizi.
Tympanum of the 12th-century portal. Public domain photo.
Sculptures of the Romanesque portal. Public domain photo.
Angers Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d'Angers) is a Romanesque and Gothic cathedral in the city of Angers, in the Loire country of western France.
History
Angers Cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by two ambitious successive bishops, Normand de Doué and Guillaume de Beaumont.
What to See
The cathedral is considered a fine example of a balance between Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Its unusually wide Romanesque nave, with no side aisles, opens into a Gothic transept and choir.
The mid-12th-century portal was inspired by the Portail Royal in Chartres and centers on a depiction of the Apocalypse. The portal's statues depict figures ranging from the Queen of Sheba to David with his harp.
Inside are the stained-glass windows (12th-16th centuries) for which the cathedral is famous. The oldest one illustrates the martyrdom of St. Vincent; the most unusual is of St. Christopher with the head of a dog.
The most beautiful is a 13th-century painted glass window in the transept depicting the life of Saint Julien. Also in the transepts are two 15th-century rose windows, with earthly suffering in the north facing Christ in Glory in the south.
Other notable works of art include remarkable decorative paintings from the 13th century (just discovered in the early 1980s) and a few of the famous Apocalypse Tapestries. At one time they all hung here, but the majority are now on display in the nearby Angers château.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Angers Cathedral; Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d'Angers |
| Type of site: | Cathedral |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Status: | Active |
| Size: | Tower height: 75m Nave width: 16.38m Nave length: 48m Nave height: 24.68m Total length: 90.47m |
| Address: | Place Monseigneur Chapoulie, 49 000 Angers, France |
| Phone: | 33/241 23 51 11 (Angers TIC) |
| E-mail: | accueil@angers-tourisme.com |
| Hours: | Nov-Mar daily 8:30am-5:30pm, Apr-Oct daily 8:30am-7pm |
| Cost: | Free |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Angers Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our France Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d'Angers - Monum.fr
- Frommer's France 2006
- Angers Cathedral - France for Visitors
- Angers Cathedral - Structurae
More Information
- 360° panorama of Angers Cathedral - Spherical Images
