ST. STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL

Saint-Étienne Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This large, luminous vessel, 124 m long, 40.80 m wide and 37.15 m under vault, is the widest and one of the tallest Gothic cathedrals in France. Although consecrated in 1324, its construction dates from the late ^12th to the ^16th century. For several years now, the cathedral has been the object of conservation campaigns to combat the ravages of pollution on its sculptures. One of the most original features of the church is its five portals of different sizes, decorated with sculptures depicting the major themes of the Old and New Testaments. From the gardens of the town hall, you can admire the pyramidal chevet with its double-flight flying buttresses. Also worth seeing: Canon Goumet's astonishing copper meridian, with its three eyelets pierced through the windows to allow the sun's rays to fall on it at midday, and the ensemble of stained glass windows dating from the ^12th to ^17th centuries - the "Grand Housteau" window donated by Duke Jean de Berry and the Annunciation from Jacques Cœur's chapel. The lower church houses the partial recumbent of the Duc de Berry, a small gallery remnant of an ^11th-century sanctuary with libertine motifs, and the large statues that once decorated the façade. The great organ case dates from the second half of the ^17th century, and the decorated astronomical clock from the early ^15th century. The north tower, known as the "Butter Tower", rises to a height of 65 metres, and is accessible via guided tours.