Moulins Cathedral

West towers of the cathedral

The cathedral of Moulins (French: Notre-Dame de Moulins ) is in the Auvergnat city ​​of Moulins in the French department of Allier . In 1949 she received it from Pope Pius XII. the title of papal minor basilica . The cathedral has been classified as a monument historique since 1875 .

history

Its construction began at the beginning of the 15th century, after a previous Romanesque building could no longer contain the believers in the royal seat . The flamboyant style, which is characteristic of the late Gothic , particularly characterizes the choir . It has been the episcopal church of the Moulins diocese since 1817 . The two west towers were built in the neo-Gothic style of the 19th century.

Furnishing

Window of St. Catherine

Inside the cathedral , the brightly colored glass windows from the 16th century are particularly impressive. Saints, but also important dukes of Bourbon are depicted on the windows . In the window of St. Catherine to the right of the west portal there is a depiction of Duke Pierre II and his wife Anne de Beaujeu , adoring the saint.

The most important work of art in the cathedral, however, is the altar painting from around 1502 by the master of Moulins . His triptych by Moulins shows the Virgin Mary in front of a rainbow on the central panel , also surrounded by the donor Duke Pierre II and Anne de Beaujeu and their daughter Suzanne, and is considered an important example of a donor portrait from the late Gothic period .

organ

View through the nave to the main organ

The cathedral houses two organs . The main organ was built in 1880 by the organ builder Joseph Merklin in an organ case designed by the architect Eugène Millet. The instrument has 42 registers on three manuals and a pedal . The playing and stop actions are mechanical. The organ has largely been preserved in its original condition.

I positive C – g 3 Principal 8th' Bourdon 8th' Salicional 8th' Flûte harmonique 4 ′ Flute of fifths 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Octavine 2 ′ Clochette 1' Trumpets 8th' Clarinet 8th'

II Grand Orgue C-g 3 Principal 16 ′ Bourdon 16 ′ Montre 8th' Bourdon 8th' Flûte harmonique 8th' Viole de gambe 8th' Prestant 4 ′ Duplicate 2 ′ Fittings IV 3 ′ Grand Cornet V 8th' Bombard 16 ′ Trumpets 8th' Clairon 4 ′

III Récit expressif C – g 3 Bourdon 8th' Flûte harmonique 8th' Viole de gambe 8th' Voix céleste 8th' Flûte d'écho 4 ′ Fugara 4 ′ Flageolet 2 ′ Trompette harmonique 8th' Basson-Hautbois 8th' Voix humaine 8th' Clairon harmonique 4 ′ tremolo

Pedale C – f 1 Soubasse 32 ′ Contrebasse 16 ′ Soubasse 16 ′ Octave basse 8th' Violoncello 8th' Flute 4 ′ Bombard 16 ′ Trumpets 8th' Clairon 4 ′

literature

• Brigitte Kurmann-Schwarz: Les vitraux de la cathédrale de Moulins . In: Congrès archéologique de France. 146e session . Société française d'archéologie, Nogent-le-Rotrou 1991, ISSN  0069-8881 , pp. 21-49.
• Catherine Legros: La cathédrale Notre-Dame de Moulins . In: Congrès archéologique de France. 146e session . Société française d'archéologie, Nogent-le-Rotrou 1991, ISSN  0069-8881 , pp. 9-19.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Cathédrale Notre-Dame in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
2. ↑ More information about the organ

Web links

Commons : Moulins Cathedral  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Photos on the website of the Médiathèque de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (French)
• Photos of the interior, nave, altar (German)
• the cathedral of Moulins. In: Structurae (French)
• Photos and information about the organ (English, French)

Coordinates: 46 ° 33 ′ 59.5 "  N , 3 ° 19 ′ 54.4"  E