SAINT-JUST AND SAINT-PASTEUR CATHEDRALS
Saint-Just-and-Saint-Pasteur Cathedral in Gothic style, with a single choir and vaulted ceilings over 40 m high.
This 13th-14th century cathedral is Narbonne's most prestigious monument, and a major example of the Gothic style in the south of France. Its construction was decided in 1268 by Pope Clement IV, former archbishop of Narbonne and advisor to Saint-Louis! It was dedicated to the young Spanish martyrs Just and Pasteur. Its choir, the 5th highest in France, reaches over 41 m under keystone, and the Gothic altarpiece (14th century) in the axial chapel is a masterpiece of European Gothic sculpture. Together with the Palais-Musée des Archevêques, the cathedral forms a unique ensemble. It connects with the present-day city centre, an essential part of life in Narbonne, where you can admire the 12th-century Palais-Vieux building, the 13th-century donjon de la Madeleine, linked by an arch spanning the Passage de l'Ancre, and the early 14th-century Tour Saint-Martial. At the top of the south tower stands the "Bourdon", a voluminous bell weighing 5 tons. It was the only piece to escape melting during the revolutionary days of 1793. At around 4 pm, Saint-Just's drone chimes its low notes over the roofs in memory of the plague epidemic that devastated the town in 1652. Despite various attempts, the nave of this cathedral was never completed and was supposed to extend all the way to the station. Take a stroll through the cloister galleries and discover the mysterious acoustics of the Treasure Room.
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