The cathedral of Auxerre is dedicated to holy Etienne.
Several buildings (4) followed one another since the 5th century. The current cathedral was built in 1215, under the episcopate of Guillaume de Seignelay, on the vestiges of a vast Romance building destroyed by fire in 1023, and whose only the crypt of the 11th century remains today.

One can admire a Romance fresco there on the vault (beginning 12th or more surely of the medium 12th) representing a large cross, four angels with horse placed in medallions and the center splendid Christ on a white horse. The interpretation of these frescos is enigmatic: free passage of Christ on the cross or appearance of the King of the Kings, the rider of the Apocalypse of holy Jean?

On the vault in half dome of the axial vault, one can also admire a Christ in majesty (end 13th).

Unfinished remained construction extended over three centuries, it was strongly disturbed by the Guerre One hundred Year old, then by the wars of religion (bag of the city by the Protestants in 1567).

Building of ogival style, length 100 meters, width 40 meters, height under vaults of the nave of the chorus: 32 meters.

Height of the northern tower completed at the 16th century: 62 meters. The architecture of the chorus is remarkable in spite of the modest proportions of the building.

The axial vault and the déambulatoire of the chorus are decorated many historiées canopies carried out in first half of the 13th century, a few years before the realization of the stained glasses of high bays. The large canopies of the rosettes of the transepts north and south and the western frontage are 16th century. They are due to the best artists of the area.

The treasure presents many enluminés manuscripts, ivories, wood carved, goldsmithery, as well as a beautiful collection of mountings enamelled of Limoges. Large organ, Gilles-Jean-Michel, of international reputation and summer carried out in 1986 by the organ builder Dominique Oberthur.

External bonds

• Card of the ministry for the culture
• Card on the site Structurae.de
• Card on the site Religious architecture in occident