Narbonne Cathedral, dedicated to Saints Justus and Pastor, is a Gothic cathedral in the center of Narbonne, close to the medieval city wall. Pope Clement IV, a former archbishop, reportedly decided to build it, and the first stone was laid on April 13, 1272, though both dates need citations. It opened in 1286 and was expanded until 1354.
The city walls prevented expansion, so the nave and transept were never completed. The text names Jean Deschamps as directing construction. The building replaced earlier churches, including a Constantinian church of about 313 and a Carolingian cathedral begun in 890. The article gives no materials or dimensions.
Two Roman columns from the former forum are reused in the nave, and the largely restored 9th-century steeple can be seen from the cloister. It became a monument historique in 1840 and a minor basilica in 1886.
Comments