Rouen+Cathedral

Tallest Structure Unit

=﻿Rouen Cathedral, Rouen France=


 * **Site Information** ||
 * Names: || Rouen Cathedral; Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen ||
 * Location: || Rouen, Normandy, France ||
 * Faith: || Christianity ||
 * Denomination: || Catholic ||
 * Dedication: || Virgin Mary ||
 * Category: || [|Cathedrals] ||
 * Architecture: || [|Gothic] ||
 * Date: || 1063; 1145; 1200-50 ||
 * Patron(s): || Bishop Hugues d'Amiens ||
 * Features: || Misericords ||
 * Status: || active ||
 * **Visitor Information** ||
 * Address: || Place de la Cathédrale, Rouen, France ||
 * Coordinates: || 49.44023° N, 1.094749° E (view on Google Maps) ||
 * Website: || www.cathedrale-rouen.net ||
 * Website: || www.cathedrale-rouen.net ||


 * ~ Dimensions ||~  ||~   ||
 * || interior length || 136.86 m ||
 * || exterior length || 144 m ||
 * || height of northern crossing || 28 m ||
 * || height of southern crossing || 28 m ||
 * central spire || total height of spire || 157 m ||
 * || weight of spire || 8 000 t ||
 * choir || choir length || 34.30 m ||
 * || choir height || 28 m ||
 * || choir width || 12.68 m ||
 * crossing tower || height of crossing tower || 51 m ||
 * facade || width of western facade || 61.60 m ||
 * nave || width of nave || 24.20 m ||
 * || length of nave || 60 m ||
 * || height of vaults of main aisle || 28 m ||
 * || height of vaults of second aisle || 14 m ||
 * || width of central aisle || 11.30 m ||
 * tower Beurre || height || 75 m ||
 * tower Saint-Romain || height || 82 m ||
 * transept || width of transept || 24.60 m ||
 * || exterior length of transept || 57 m ||
 * || interior length of transept || 53.65 m ||

History
The first cathedral at Rouen was built in **396** by Bishop Victricius. This was destroyed by the invading Normans, who replaced it with a larger cathedral with a wooden vault. Consecrated in **1063** in the presence of William the Conqueror, all that remains of this building is the crypt beneath the choir.

Rouen Cathedral was rebuilt in **1145** by Bishop Hugues d'Amiens based on the new Gothic style he admired at [|Saint-Denis Basilica] in Paris. After devastating fire in 1200 destroyed all but the nave arcades, the **Saint-Romain tower** and the left portal, reconstruction began immediately. The choir and remainder of the cathedral were built in the more mature Gothic style of the 13th century, completed around **1250**.

In the 15th century, the facade of the cathedral was given in a makeover in the Flamboyant Gothic style of the day. The upper portions of the left tower were modified, the facade was renovated, and a new tower was added: the **Tour de Beurre** (Butter Tower), named for its funding by donations from wealthy citizens in return for the privilege of continuing to eat butter during Lent. ([|Bourges Cathedral] also has a Tour de Beurre.) The tower was not completed until the 17th century. Other towers, spires and vertical extensions were added over the years, most notably the **Tour Lanterne (Lantern Tower)** of 1876. With that great spire, Rouen Cathedral became the tallest building in the world (but it only the held the record until 1880).

In 1892 and 1893, **Claude Monet** could usually be found with his canvas set up next to the cathedral's facade. During those two years he created some 30 paintings of the facade in a variety of lighting and weather conditions, providing a beautiful study of the play of light in Gothic architecture and sculpture. The paintings can be seen in the Musee d'Orsay in [|Paris].

Rouen Cathedral narrowly escaped destruction in **World War II** - it took several direct hits from bombs in 1944, which narrowly missed destroying key pillars. Another setback occurred on December 26, 1999, when one of the pinnacles fell down in a storm, damaging the vault and choir area

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