The Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral of Nantes, also known locally as Saint-Pierre cathedral, was built from the 15th century on Romanesque foundations, in the center of the city.
Considered a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic art, its first stone was laid in 1434 at the initiative of the Duke of Brittany Jean V and the Bishop of Nantes, who wanted to show the power of the 'Church in the Breton capital. For the Duke, reconciled with the King of France at the end of the Hundred Years War, it was also a question of settling in the political landscape of the time. However, the site was not to be completed until 1893!
Work began with the facade block, erected in front of the old Romanesque facade. In fact, the new facade remains a gem today: it has an exterior pulpit, at the southwest corner, and two porches on the sides. With its rich sculpted decoration and the multitude of pinnacles, it is an example of flamboyant Gothic style. It was not until 1520 that the first bay of the nave was vaulted, the walls of the side aisles and the nave then only supporting a frame.
The site then took a long break during the Wars of Religion. In the 17th century, the nave was finally vaulted, as was the "south" transept. Then, the cross tower and the choir with a Romanesque apse are simply rearranged and enriched with a new high altar.
Subsequently, damage due to wars and fires (in 1972 and more recently in 2020) affected the cathedral. In 2020, in particular, the great organs of the 17th century were destroyed.
However, after the disaster of 1972, considerable work had given back to the building all its splendor. Renowned for the height of the vaults of the nave (37.5 m, higher than in Paris) and the towers of its white stone facade, the cathedral had regained a prestige due also to its glass roofs and the tomb of François II, last Duke of Brittany, a Renaissance masterpiece housed within it.
Equipped with two crypts (one from the 11th century where the treasure is kept and one from the 19th where the history of the place is presented), the cathedral of Nantes is again closed for an indefinite period.
Note, however, that outdoor exhibitions dedicated to the building are scheduled, especially in the nearby Psalette garden.
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