Béziers Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse de Béziers) is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

located in

Béziers Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hos ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The edifice dates from the thirteenth century, having been erected on the site of an earlier building that was destroyed during the

Massacre at Béziers The Massacre at Béziers occurred on 22 July 1209 during the sack of Béziers by crusaders. It was the first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade. Background The Albigensian Crusade was initiated in the Kingdom of France at the ...

in the

Albigensian Crusade The Albigensian Crusade or the Cathar Crusade (; 1209–1229) was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted primarily by the French crown ...

. The cathedral was formerly the seat of the Bishopric of Béziers, which was dissolved by the

Concordat of 1801 The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801 in Paris. It remained in effect until 1905, except in Alsace-Lorraine, where it remains in force. It sought national reconciliation b ...

and annexed into the

Diocese of Montpellier The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montpellier (–Lodève–Béziers–Agde–Saint-Pons-de-Thomières) (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Metropolitae Montis Pessulani (–Lotevensis–Biterrensis–Agathensis–Sancti Pontii Thomeriarum)'' ...

Views of the Cathedral

File:Béziers Cathedral and Old Bridge002.JPG File:Béziers Cathedral and Old Bridge008.JPG File:Béziers Cathedral and Old Bridge010.JPG File:Béziers - Pont-Vieux (Hérault).JPG File:Béziers - Vue du Pont vieux et de la cathédrale depuis l'Orb.jpg File:Béziers Cathedral and Old Bridge004.JPG

Gallery

File:Statue of Mother of God and Béziers Cathedral.JPG, Statue of the Mother of God File:Orgue de la cathédrale St Nazaire de Béziers08.jpg, Organ decorated with figures playing a wooden flute and violin File:Orgue de la cathédrale St Nazaire de Béziers05.jpg, Figures with a harp and lute File:Orgue de la cathédrale St Nazaire de Béziers10.jpg, King David on the left grandstand File:Orgue de la cathédrale St Nazaire de Béziers12.jpg,

Saint Cecilia Saint Cecilia ( la, Sancta Caecilia), also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman virgin martyr and is venerated in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox, Anglican Communion, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She b ...

on the right grandstand File:Rochelongue 119 Béziers.JPG, Street leading up to the cathedral
Catholic Encyclopedia: Diocese of Béziers, in article on Montpellier
Former cathedrals in France Fortified church buildings in France Churches in Hérault Béziers {{France-RC-church-stub