Bayeux_Tapestry_scene23_Harold_sacramentum_fecit_Willelmo_duci

Bayeux Cathedral, also known as Cathedral of Our Lady of Bayeux ( French: ''Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux''), is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

located in the town of

Bayeux Bayeux (, ; ) is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy in northwestern France. Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is also known as the fir ...

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

, France. A

national monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...

, it is the seat of the Bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux and was probably the original home of the

Bayeux Tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidery, embroidered cloth nearly long and tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest, Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William the Conqueror, William, Duke of Normandy challenging H ...

, still preserved nearby. The cathedral is in the Norman- Romanesque architectural tradition. The site is an ancient one and was once occupied by Roman sanctuaries. The present cathedral was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy. It was on this site that William may have forced Harold Godwinson to take an oath of support to him, the breaking of which led to the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, French people, French, Flemish people, Flemish, and Bretons, Breton troops, all led by the Du ...

of England – meaning that the oath must have been made before 1066.

Architecture

Following serious damage to the cathedral in the 12th century, the cathedral was rebuilt in Gothic style which is most notable in the crossing tower,

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...

s and east end. However, despite the crossing tower having been started in the 15th century, it was not completed until the 19th century.

Gallery

Image:Bayeux Historic Centre.jpg, View to the cathedral from the tourist office Image:Notre Dame de Bayeux.jpg, The Bayeux cathedral interior Image:Bayeux_cathedrale_Notre-Dame_crypte.jpg, Notre Dame de Bayeux

crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...

Image:Bayeauxcathedralinterior.jpg, An interior view of the cathedral Image:Baycript.jpg, A mural in the crypt Image:Baycrypt.jpg, A mural in the crypt Image:Bayeux013.JPG, Cathedral at night File:Normandie Calvados Bayeux2 tango7174.jpg, Gothic choir File:Normandie Calvados Bayeux3 tango7174.jpg, Neo-classical high altar File:Normandie Calvados Bayeux4 tango7174.jpg, Chapels, south arm of transept File:Normandie Calvados Bayeux5 tango7174.jpg, Stained-glass window, south arm of transept File:Cathédrale de Bayeux - verrière Nord du transept.jpg, Stained-glass window, north arm of transept File:Normandie Calvados Bayeux6 tango7174.jpg, Chapel window, south side of nave File:Nef de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux-0549.jpg, Nave from rear File:Bayeaux_Cathedral_Entry_1a.jpg, West doors

Bayeux Tapestry

External links

Location

Stained Glass Windows
* High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images o
Bayeux Cathedral , Art Atlas
Roman Catholic cathedrals in France Churches in Calvados (department) Churches with Norman architecture Romanesque architecture in Normandy Monuments historiques of Calvados (department) Bayeux {{France-RC-cathedral-stub

Architecture

Gallery

Bayeux Tapestry

See also

External links