French Cathedrals & Churches

Sablonceaux - Souvigny

Photography of French Cathedrals and Churches by Peter Mathews and Eric Jump.
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Sablonceaux, Abbey

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Approach from west gate (18th c.)

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Cemetery & abbey (12th c.) from southwest

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Abbey (12th c.) with south transept Gothic bell-tower (end of 14th c.) from southwest

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East end exterior (13th c.) with bell-tower (end of 14th c.)

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Nave looking east with transept crossing cupola (12th c.) & choir (13th c.)

Saintes, Abbaye-aux-Dames

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West façade (12th c.) from northwest

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West front portal archivolt (1120-30) (detail)

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Bell tower (early 12th c.)

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Nave looking east (11th-12th c.)

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North nave elevation, 1st bay (11th c.) with tapestries (Favre, 1980s)

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Head of Christ (late 12th c.)

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Dome at crossing looking northeast with choir barrel vault & terminal oven vault at right (12th c.)

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Choir with barrel vault & terminal oven vault (12th c.)

Saintes, Basilique St-Eutrope

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St-Eutrope from northwest; Flamboyant tower (1478-96); west front (the old transept), consecrated 1096

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West front (the old transept), consecrated 1096

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South nave & apsidole baptistry (end of 11th c.)

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Northeast exterior with Gothic choir & Flamboyant northwest tower (15th c.)

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Apsidole on north side of nave (old Romanesque choir), consecrated 1096

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Old Romanesque choir (consecrated 1096), now the north nave

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Flamboyant northwest tower (1478-96) from northeast

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Crypt (end of 11th c., altered 15th c.)

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Crypt with tomb of St-Eutrope (end of 11th c.)

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Capitals in crypt (end of 11th c.), right side aisle

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Nave (end of 11th c.) looking east to Gothic choir (15th c.)

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Northwest nave column capitals, 'Judgment of Souls' (end of 11th c.)

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2nd north nave column capitals (late 11th c.)

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Apsidole Lady Chapel, northeast end of nave (old Romanesque apse, late 11th c.), meeting Gothic choir (15th c.)

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Gothic choir (15th c.) with St-Eutrope relics

Saumur, Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers

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West façade (1655-59); dome (1690-96) from northwest

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Lycée garden, house & seminary of Oratorians (1628-43)

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Looking east through rotunda to choir (1666-73)

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Dome clerestory window (Max Ingrand, 1950s)

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Northeast Chapelle Richelieu (Lemercier, 1634-35; restored Joly-Leterme, 1849-52)

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Reredos in choir (Biardeau & Charpentier, 1673)

Saumur, St-Pierre

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Tower from east & the Loire River

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West front (1674)

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West front portal, columns & pediment (1674)

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Romanesque southwest transept portal (12th c.)

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Plantagenet Gothic nave looking east (12th-13th c.)

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2nd north nave chapel Renaissance arch (16th c.)

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Organ (17th c.) at west end

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Choir (12th-13th c.)

Sazilly, St-Hilaire

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Romanesque west front & southwest tower (late 12th c.)

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South exterior (late 12th c.)

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Southwest tower & southeast chapels (late 12th c.)

Sées Cathedral

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Cathedral from north

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West façade (13th c.); twin towers (restored 1970-80)

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West front grille & defaced portals (14th c.)

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South nave exterior (begun 1210) & transept (late 13th-early 14th c.)

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Cathedral exterior from southeast

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North transept 'snowflake' rose exterior (late 13th-early 14th c.)

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Nave looking east (begun 1210)

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North nave triforium & clerestory (begun 1210)

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South nave elevation (begun 1210)

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South choir (1278-94) & transept (late 13th-early 14th c.)

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'Beau Dieu' (Bernini, 1680) copy, & oval Marian panel (18th c.), southeast transept

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North transept 'snowflake' rose & lancets (c. 1310)

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Bishop Jean de Bernières between Sts-Gervais-et-Protais (13th c.), Chapelle St-Latuin

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Lutrin & Louis XIV altar (18th c.), northeast transept

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South ambulatory (1278-94)

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Choir (1278-94) with high altar in crossing

Senez Cathedral

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West front portal (12th-13th c.)

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South exterior (12th-13th c.) from southeast

Senlis Cathedral

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West front (12th c.); south tower (completed c. 1240)

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West front middle levels (c. 1153-91)

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West front central portal (c. 1160), the Virgin Portal

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Tympanum of center Virgin Portal (c. 1160) (detail)

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Central portal left jamb statues (1165-70)

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Central portal right jamb statues (1165-70)

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South exterior (12th, 13th & 16th c.)

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South tower spire (1230s) from south

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South transept exterior (1521-34, Martin & Pierre Chambiges)

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South choir (12th c.), sacristy (11th c.), staircase tower (12th c.) with turret (16th c.) & Bailli Chapel (1465)

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North transept exterior (1538-60, Pierre Chambiges)

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Lady Chapel (19th c.) & northeast chapels (12th c.) with Gallo-Roman wall (3rd c.)

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Chapter house (late 14th c.) & library (16th c.) off north nave

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Nave looking east (1153-91)

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Nave vault (12th c.) looking east

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Lierne vault (16th c.) at crossing

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North nave elevation (12th & 16th c.)

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North nave aisle looking west (12th c.) with pendant vault (16th c.)

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Organ buffet (Brisson, 1647) at west end

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'Four Prophets' (Maillart, 1897), south transept window

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South transept lierne vault (16th c.)

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North transept portal glazed tympanum (16th c.)

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1st south ambulatory baptismal chapel window (early 16th c.)

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Choir arcade & tribune (c. 1153-70); clerestory (16th c.)

Serrabone, Priory-church

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Cloister garden & mountainside

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Cloister gallery on south side (mid-12th c.)

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Marble tribune in nave, west front with 2 pillars, 4 columns with capitals, and 3 decorated arches (mid-12th c.)

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Marble tribune west front, left columns (mid-12th c.)

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Middle column capital (mid-12th c.)

Soissons,
Abbaye St-Jean-des-Vignes

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Abbey ruins of west front (late 13th-14th c.)

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West front portal gables (late 13th c.)

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Ruins of west front rose window (14th c.)

Souillac, Abbey Ste-Marie

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West tower (early 11th c.)

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East end (11th-12th c.)

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West front portal (1130), erected at west end (17th c.)

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Tympanum of monk Theophilus (1130)

Soulac-sur-Mer, Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres

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West front & tower (1st half 16th c.)

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Chevet from northeast (11th-12th c.)

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Nave looking east (2nd half 12th c.)

Soultz, St-Maurice

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Octagonal tower with double balustrade spire (1611)

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Organ (Silberman, 1750), at west end

Souvigny, St-Pierre

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West front Gothic façade (15th c.) with Romanesque bell-towers (12th c.) & priory buildings (18th c.)

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South exterior (15th c.)

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Garden entrance 'porterie' (18th c.)

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East end (12th c.) & choir (15th c.)

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North choir & transept (15th c.) & nave (12th c.)

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Nave looking east (11th-12th c.) with vault (renovated 15th c.)

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North nave aisle arcade (12th c.)

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South transept window (15th c.) with modern glass

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North transept (renovated 15th c.)

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Choir clerestory windows (1438)

Saigon

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Church, west front (12th c.)

Saintes Cathedral

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Cathédrale St-Pierre (12th, 15th-18th c.) from southwest

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West front and tower (mid-15th c.)

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West front portal archivolt (mid-15th c.), right side, statue canopies

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Top of west tower (mid-15th c.)

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North nave chapels exterior (late 16th c.)

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Nave looking east (rebuilt 1582)

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East end of nave vault (rebuilt 1585), crossing vault & choir vault (1647-60), (all restored 20th c.)

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Pulpit in north nave & chapels (late 16th c.)

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1st north nave chapel, baptistry window (19th c.)

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Organ (18th c.) at west end

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North ambulatory aisle & vault (1st half 16th c.)

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Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (15th c.), south ambulatory

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Window in Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (Gesta of Toulouse, 1863)

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Vault in axial Chapelle des Tourelles (1519-21)

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Choir vault (rebuilt 1647-60)

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Northeast end choir clerestory window (19th c.)

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Canopy & high altar (18th c.)

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Canopy (18th c.), looking west (detail)

Sancerre, Notre-Dame

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West façade (1754-62); belfry of St-Jean (16th c.)

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West portal tympanum

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Nave looking east (1754-62, enlarged 19th c.)

Sarlat-la-Canéda Cathedral

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West front Romanesque tower (12th c.), 3rd storey (17th c.) from west

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Chevet (14th c.) from east

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Organ (Lépine, 18th c.) (detail)

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Center window, axial Lady Chapel (15th c.)

Saumur, St-Nicolas

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West front tympanum mosaic (Maumejean, 1947)

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Nave looking east (beginning 13th c.); Angevin vaults (rebuilt 15th c., restored Émile Roffay, 1890s)

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Baptistry (beginning 13th c.); murals (Maumejean, 1947), end of southwest nave aisle

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South nave elevation looking west (beginning 13th c.)

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Pulpit (1772) in south nave

Saumur, Notre-Dame-de-Nantilly

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West front (beginning 12th c.), tower (early 13th c.), & added south aisle (1470-83)

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Nave (beginning 12th c.), looking east

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South nave aisle (1470-83), looking west

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Oratory of Louis XI (1470-83), west end of south aisle

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Oratory of Louis XI (1470-83), west end of south aisle (detail)

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'John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness,' alabaster bas-relief (16th c.), 2nd pillar, south side

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Virgin & Child (12th c.), polychrome wood, southeast transept Lady Chapel

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Choir (2nd half 12th c.)

La Sauve-Majeure, Abbey

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Octagonal bell-tower (13th c.) on south side nave

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'St-Jean-Baptiste,' south nave capital (13th c.)

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'Pine cones,' capital (12th c.), 1st south chevet chapel

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'Daniel in the lions' den,' capital (12th c.), 1st south chevet chapel

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Chapter house & south refectory wall ruin (13th c.)

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East end chevet (early 12th c.)

Semur-en-Auxois, Notre-Dame

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West front (14th-15th c.)

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West front porch interior (15th c.)

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West front towers (14th c.)

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Chevet from east (early 13th c.)

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Porte des Bleds, north transept portal tympanum (13th c.)

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Nave vault keystone with horse & rider (13th c.)

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1st north nave baptismal chapel exterior (1535-40)

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Entombment (1490) (detail)

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Butchers' window (15th c.), 4th north nave chapel

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North transept triforium with busts (13th-14th c.)

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Choir (13th c.) & high altar

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North choir columns (13th c., restored 19th c.)

Semur-en-Brionnais, Collégiale St-Hilaire

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West front portal (1180s)

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West front portal lintel, 'Episode in the life of St-Hilaire' (1180s)

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South nave portal, transept & bell-tower (12th c.)

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East end apse (1125-30) & bell-tower (end of 12th c.)

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Bell-tower from east (end of 12th c.)

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North nave portal tympanum & archivolt (c. 1135)

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Nave looking east (2nd half 12th c.); vault (restored, Millet, 1851-54)

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Corbelled gallery at west end (2nd half 12th c.)

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South nave aisle with groin vault (2nd half 12th c.)

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Choir (1125-30)

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South apse pillar (1125-30)

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North apse pillar capital (1125-30)

Senlis, St-Pierre

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West front (12th-16th c.)

Sens Cathedral

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West front (12th c.)

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West front north portal tympanum

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West front central portal trumeau

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Campanile of south tower (completed 1535)

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South transept exterior upper levels with statute of Moses (Chambiges, 1490-1500)

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East end chevet (12th c.)

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Choir (12th c.) from northeast

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North transept rose exterior (c. 1520)

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Nave looking east (c. 1140-c. 1200)

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South nave elevation (c. 1140-c. 1200)

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5th north nave aisle window (19th c.) with Mausoleum du Perron (1637)

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South transept rose & lancets (1499), Last Judgment & St-Etienne

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Tree of Jesse, 1st southeast transept window, lower panels (1500-02) (detail)

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Chapelle St-Savinien, Life of St-Jean Évangéliste et St-Pierre & St-Savinien (13th c.)

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Chapelle Ste-Colombe, St-Pierre, 1st quadrifoil (16th c.)

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Good Samaritan window, top panels (late 12th-early 13th c.)

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St-Eustache window (late 12th-early 13th c.)

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Thomas à Becket window (late 12th-early 13th c.)

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North transept rose & lancets (c. 1520)

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North transept 'Rose du concert céleste' (c. 1520)

Sisteron Cathedral

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West front (1160-1220) with northeast tower

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East end (1160-1220) from southeast

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Romanesque nave looking east (1160-1220)

Soissons Cathedral

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West front (mid-13th c.) and south tower (14th c.)

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South tower, south transept & oblique chapel from southwest

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Chevet (1190-1212) from east

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Portal in east wall of north transept (1276-1300)

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Nave (1220-1240), looking east

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North nave elevation (13th c.)

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West rose (1931) & top of Gonzalez organ (1952-56)

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South transept (1176)

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Southeast transept elevation (1176)

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North transept (late 13th c.)

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North transept lancets (Gaudin, 1925-26)

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North transept rose (late 13th c.)

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Choir (1190-1212)

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Right chevet window (from diverse periods)

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Lady Chapel, center window (mid-13th c.)

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Archangel Gabriel (17th c.) on left side of high altar

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4th north ambulatory chapel window with grille

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'Agnus Dei' boss in vault of oblique chapel (early 14th c.)

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Dr. Peter Mathews
126 Timber Lane, Palatka, FL 32177 • Tel. (386) 312-0001
E-Mail: Roundlake126@aol.com