Cathedrale Notre Dame, Bayeux

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The beautiful facade of the Cathedral of Notre Dame is lower down formed with 5 arcades with 3 portals. The two side portals have the fanlight in the eardrum and small arcs adorned by reliefs and statues. To the sides of the facade there are two Romanesque towers strengthened by tapered buttresses and crowned by a Gothic steeples tall 75 meters.

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The beautiful cathedral of Notre Dame is one of the most beautiful of Normandie. The cathedral was built in 1077 in a Romanesque style. It was referred in Gothic style in the thirteenth and fourteenth century after the fire of the 1105 .
The tower of the cruise was built in Gothic style in the fifteenth century while the dome in copper was made around the 1860.

I really only visited Bayeux for the Tapestry, however, as we were walking down the streets of Bayeux, we stopped outside of a beautiful gothic cathedral: le Cathédrale de Notre-Dame de Bayeux.

We didn't actually tour inside the cathedral, which is a shame. If I return to Bayeux, I would definitely take the time to explore the cathedral fully, as there's a lot of history here.

The cathedral was consecrated in 1077 on the site of previous sanctuaries. 28 years later, it was partially destroyed, but it was rebuilt and added on to throughout the following centuries. As a result, it has a variety of architectural styles. The western side has Romanesque towers while the nave is designed in Norman Romanesque. The choir features Norman Gothic architectural style and Renaissance stalls. Apparently Odo of Bayeux, the archbishop of Bayeux (William of Normandy's half-brother) is responsible for the structure we see today.

The Notre-Dame Cathedal of Bayeux is supposed to be one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in France. The photo I took doesn't do it justice, as it was raining on the day that I was there, and I was a new at photography, so I didn't have the insight to take the greatest shots. Regardless, if you do a search for photos of the cathedral online, you'll see what I mean!

It should be noted that Notre Dame was also the original home of the famous Bayeux Tapestry until it was moved to where it is today, down the road, at Centre Guillaume le Conquérant on Rue de Nesmond in Bayeux.

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The construction of a Romanesque Cathédrale de Notre-Dame started in 1077, but that church was destroyed during the siege of Henri 1st of England in 1105. So, a new building was erected between the 12th and the 14th century in Gothic style.
Only the crypt (12th century) and the bell towers remain from the original church, although the towers have Gothic steeples. The tower of the cross is flaming Gothic and dates back to the 15th century, but it has a 19th-century copper steeple.
I suppose that the façade was being restored in 2001, as we haven't got any photo of it, but only of the towers and the apse.

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The inside of the cathedral is worth visiting for the central nave of the 12th century, decorated with Byzantine and Nordic elements (see the second and the third pics). The high part of the church is pure Gothic with a matroneum below the windows (fourth pic), that is typical of Normandie. You should also admire the choir and the three-aisle 12th-century crypt.

The Notre Dame Cathedral of Bayeux was started in 1066, and consecrated in 1077, and survived the fire of 1105.. The first bishop was Odon, the half-brother of William the Conqueror.
The cathedral also houses a crypt.

One of the finest cathedrals in France, NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL is a Norman Gothic building begun in the Romanesque period. The two 11th century towers are 75 metres high. The Bishop's throne dates from 1681. The organ was rebuilt in 1771 and is situated above the main entrance.

The Bayeux Cathedral is emblematic of the small town's rich history, dominating its skyline for nearly a millennium. The stunning cathedral was originally constructed in the Romanesque style, but additions in later centuries slowly transformed it into its present Gothic form. The famous Bayeux Tapestry adorned the nave for nearly 700 years, until it was removed in the French revolution and used as a wagon cover (it was later recovered and is now displayed in the Musee de la Tapisserie).

This is a beautiful cathedral, and not the same as the cathedral where the tapestry is located. Take in this wonderful building and admire its structure, both from the historical and architectural interest. The photo of the street scene within these pages shows the Cathedral in the background.

Walking around Bayeux, you will definitely see the Cathedral Notre-Dame's towering spires and arches. The church is one of the nicest I visited in France. Being that Bayeux was relatively untouched by WWII, much remains from Bayeux's long history. The church itself is thought to have been built by the brother of William the Conqueror in the 11th century. Good ol William is associated with the most famous of Bayeux attractions, The Tapestry of Bayeux.