Meaux Cathedral

A frontal view of the Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Meaux

Western side of the cloister

Meaux Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Meaux) is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, in the town of Meaux, in the department of Seine-et-Marne, east of Paris. It is the seat of the Bishop of Meaux. The construction of the cathedral is not finished.

Construction of the cathedral began between 1175 - 1180, when a structure in Romanesque style was started. Defects in the original design and construction had to be corrected in the 13th century, in which the architect Gautier de Vainfroy was much involved. He had to remove the previous cathedral almost totally and start a new structure in Gothic style. In the later 13th century work was often interrupted due to lack of funds, a problem removed by the generosity of Charles IV in the early 14th century. Further progress was interrupted by the Hundred Years' War and occupation by the English.

The archives of the diocese were destroyed in 1793 – 1794, thus deleting much knowledge about the early history of the church.

The composer Pierre Moulu worked at the cathedral in the early 16th century.

The design of the cathedral, because of its construction period, encompasses several periods of Gothic art. The cathedral rises to a height of 48 meters; inside, the vaults at the choir rise to 33 meters. The interior ornamentation is noted for its smoothness, and the space for its overall luminosity. The cathedral contains a famous organ, built in the 17th century.

Burials

• Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
• Bishop Louis Pierre Joseph Cornet (31 October 1923 - 11 September 2006)
• Marie of France, Countess of Champagne
• Saint Fiacre

References

• Dictionnaire des églises de France, Belgique, Luxembourg, Suisse (Tome IV-D). pp. 104-106. Robert Laffont: Paris.
• Esquieu, Yves, 1994: Quartier cathédral. Rempart / Desclée de Brouwer: Paris. ISBN 2-904365-23-0

External links

• Location

Villard de Honnecourt mentions this cathedral in this manuscript and actually has a drawing of it on Plate # 48 he says "This is the plan of the Church of ST. Stephen at Meaux"