Noyon Cathedral
"I have seldom looked on the east-end of a church with more complete sympathy."
Robert Louis Stevenson, An Inland Voyage
Noyon Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Noyon) is a transitional Romanesque/Gothic cathedral in the northern city of Noyon.
Noyon has long been a religious center — the present cathedral is the fifth to be built on this site. Both Charlemagne (768) and Hugh Capet (987) were coronated here.
Begun in 1150 and completed by 1290, the present Noyon Cathedral replaced its predecessor that was destroyed by fire in 1131. It is considered a harmonious example of the transition from the Romanesque to Gothic style, and is one of the earliest Gothic cathedrals to be built in France.
Noyon Cathedral suffered much damage during the Revolution, and little decoration remains in the interior. One exception is a very rare 14th-century chancel screen and some medieval furnishings.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94) much admired Noyon Cathedral during his visit to the city. Of its east end he wrote:
"As it flanges out in three wide terraces and settles down broadly on the earth, it looks like the poop of some great old battle-ship. Hollow-backed buttresses carry vases, which figure for the stern lanterns. There is a roll in the ground, and the towers just appear above the pitch of the roof, as though the good ship were bowing lazily over an Atlantic swell."
Surrounding the cathedral is a complete cathedral quarter, which includes five main buildings: the refectory, with its cellar and loft; the episcopal prison and courtroom; the chapter-house (at present the sacristy); the treasury; and the chapter library.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Noyon Cathedral; Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Noyon; Cathédrale de Noyon |
| Type of site: | Cathedral |
| Location: | Noyon, France |
| Phone: | 03 44 44 21 88 (Noyon tourism office) |
| Hours: | Apr-Oct: 9-12, 2-6; Nov-Mar: 10-12, 2-5 |
| Cost: | Free |
Sources
- Eyewitness Travel Guide to France 2005.
- La Cathédrale de Noyon - Noyon Tourisme
- La Cathédrale de Noyon - Culture.fr
More Information
- "Ch. 17: Noyon Cathedral" from An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Noyon Cathedral Photos - Digital Imaging Project
