The church of Saint-Gervais Rouen was built from 1868 to 1874 in the Romanesque Revival style.
From large scale, particularly with wide aisles, it is equipped with apsidal chapels each with a large stone altarpiece. Note also the stained glass windows of the nineteenth century resuming fashionable Romanesque windows and the choir decorated with large murals.
The pulpit proves otherwise beautifully ornate.
However, it is because it was built on the site of a priory of the eleventh century attached to the Benedictine Abbey of Fécamp that the church is renowned. William the Conqueror died in 1087 (a plaque still attests) and later Thomas Canterbury stayed there, then Henry II Kings of England and Louis VII of France visited the site.
Thereafter, the priory church was demolished several times, especially during the wars Hundred and religions, but each time rebuilt.
Only remains of this past that the rectangular crypt under the present choir, which is prior to the year one thousand and would have served as burial to the first bishops of the city.
The Saint-Gervais church is protected as historic monuments and houses an organ built by Cavaillé-Coll workshop.
The building is open every day but the visit of the crypt is possible only very occasionally, especially during Heritage Days.
Information +33 2 35 71 13 29.
