Saint Peter's Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Lisieux)
About Saint Peter's Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Lisieux)
This Norman Gothic cathedral was built between 1149 and 1230, making it one of the first Gothic churches in Normandy. The 110-meter-long structure features ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and three distinctive towers including a 72-meter spire. Pierre Cauchon, the bishop who condemned Joan of Arc to death in 1431, later served here and built the Flamboyant Gothic Chapel of the Virgin where he lies in an unmarked grave. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux attended Mass here throughout her youth before entering the Carmel, and modern statues of both Thérèse and Joan of Arc now stand inside. The cathedral remarkably survived the 1944 Allied bombings that destroyed 70% of Lisieux. The 1871 Cavaillé-Coll organ, considered a predecessor to the Notre-Dame de Paris instrument, remains a highlight for music enthusiasts. Free guided tours are available in July and August.
Interesting Facts
When Pierre Cauchon's skeleton was discovered during 1931 renovations, authorities chose not to mark his burial location. Even today, visitors walk over his unmarked grave in the Chapel of the Virgin without knowing it – a deliberate anonymity given his role in condemning Joan of Arc, whose verdict the Catholic Church annulled in 1456.
During WWII, German forces painted the cathedral in camouflage patterns to hide it from Allied bombers. While the paint was later removed, the cathedral's survival is remarkable – it stands virtually alone among Lisieux's medieval structures, surrounded by post-war reconstruction.
The 48-stop Cavaillé-Coll organ was originally built for the Palace of Industry in Amsterdam and only came to Lisieux through a donation by wealthy industrialist Jean-Lambert Fournet. It shares a unique feature with only one other organ in the world (in Haarlem): an 8-rank Cornet on the Récit division.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
Place François Mitterrand, 14100 Lisieux, France
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