Gap Cathedral

Gap Cathedral

Gap Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Arnoux de Gap) is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, located in the town of Gap, Hautes-Alpes.

It is the seat of the Bishop of Gap.

Gap Cathedral interior: organ

The current cathedral was built between 1866 and 1905 in Neo-Gothic style by architect Charles Laisné on the site of a former mediaeval cathedral.

History

The original cathedral on the site was built around the 5th century on the ruins of a Roman temple to the God Apollo. Over the years several buildings stood at the same spot. Forty-one different types of stone were chosen for the construction, showing Byzantine influence. Roman and Gothic styles were also chosen, as was common during this era for a somber and harmonious feeling at the same time.

The clock tower stands at 64 meters high and contains four clocks.

Consecrated on September 2nd, 1895, the day of Saint-Arnoux, who was Bishop of Gap during the 11th century and is the patron saint of the Gap. The cathedral was classified as a Historical Monument on August 9th, 1906.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gap Cathedral.

Coordinates: 44°33′29″N 6°4′41″E / 44.55806°N 6.07806°E / 44.55806; 6.07806


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