Saint-Flour Cathedral
The cathedral of Saint-Flour is the episcopal church of the diocese of the same name ; she is at the center of the upper town of Saint-Flour in the Cantal in central France Region Auvergne Rhône-Alpes ; she is to St. Florus , a legendary bishop of the 4th century in the southern French city of Lodève . Church construction has been recognized as a monument historique since 1906 . Located at an altitude of 892 m , it is the highest cathedral in Europe.
history
Since the 4th or 5th century there has been a sanctuary on the site of the current building , the existence of which was confirmed in a bull by Pope Gregory V († 999). Around 1025, Abbot Odilo of Cluny founded a large Romanesque priory church in the form of a three-aisled basilica , which was consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1095 under the triple patronage of Saint-Sauveur , Saint-Pierre and Saint-Flour . In 1317, Pope John XXII , who resided in Avignon , raised the construction of the cathedral of a newly founded diocese.
After parts of the north side collapsed in 1396, Bishop Hugues de Magnac ordered a new building in Gothic style ; this was consecrated in 1466. Pope Sixtus IV lifted all remaining ties to Cluny Abbey 10 years later . Between 1793 and 1802 the cathedral was dedicated to the cult of the supreme being . It was thoroughly restored around the middle of the 19th century; since that time it has only borne the patronage of Saint-Pierre .
architecture
_P1040718.jpg)
- Exterior construction
The length of the three-aisled structure with an ambulatory is approx. 65 m, the width 24.60 m and the height of the central nave is approx. 16.50 m; Basalt-containing rock was used for the construction , which partly explains the dark appearance. The three-portal, but not entirely symmetrical facade shows a triumphal arch scheme and is elevated by two approx. 35 m high, mighty bell towers with a square cross-section and small windows; only the sound openings on the upper floor are slightly larger. The middle part of the facade protrudes slightly from the building line.
The late Gothic buttresses are visible above the side aisles and the choir area . At the outer ends of the buttresses there are small surcharges and gargoyles that divert the rainwater from the central nave eaves.
- Interior
As with many large late Gothic churches , the elevation of the central nave is only in two parts; there is no central passage ( triforium ). The supports are without capital and are schematic; the belt arches of the vault rest on submitted services ; subordinate ribs grow out of the masonry.
Furnishing
The church's furnishings include a purgatory fresco below the organ, a crucifix made of darkened wood from the same period and a wooden pietá - all from the 15th century. A reliquary for the remains of St. Florus and a kneeling and praying bishop statue made of white marble date from the 19th century.
Purgatory fresco
black crucifix
Pietà
Reliquary
Memorial statue
organ
The organ was built in 1843 by the English organ builder John Abbey , the case was made by the artist Gabriel Ventadour. The instrument has 35 stops on 3 manuals and a pedal. The actions are mechanical.
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
literature
- Anne Courtillé: Auvergne, Bourbonnais, Velay gothiques . Editions A. et J. Picard, Paris 2002, ISBN 978-2708406834 , pp. 372-384.
- Joël Fouilheron: La Cathédrale de Saint-Flour . Nouvelles Éditions Latines, Paris 1966.
Individual evidence
Web links
- Cathedral website (French)
- Saint-Flour Cathedral (French)
Coordinates: 45 ° 2 ′ 0 ″ N , 3 ° 5 ′ 42 ″ E