Visit Tours Cathedral by tiabunna
The Cathédrale St-Gatien, as it is more properly known, is an interesting construction, begun in the 13th century and not completed until the mid-1500s. Despite the range of styles, from gothic to renaissance, somehow the result is quite impressive, if looking a little as though some external cleaning might be due (photo 2). During my visit an organist was giving the pipe organ (photo 3) a workout. There is simply nothing like listening to a good organ in the setting of an empty cathedral, the notes seem to hang in the air. Combine that with atmospheric lighting through the lovely stained glass windows and the high vaulted ceilings (photo 4) and it impressed even a non-religious bloke like me; so I stayed for some time and let the music and atmosphere wash around me. Should the organ be playing when you visit, it?s worth it to find a chair and settle back for a while.
