Verdun Cathedral

About

Notre-Dame de Verdun Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located in Verdun, in the French department of Meuse, Lorraine, in the Grand Est administrative region. Episcopal seat of the diocese of Verdun, it was raised to the dignity of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1947. It has views of Verdun Cemetery, Meuse and Hulpe Lake.

The cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is built from 990 according to the Roman-Rhenish plan. It is therefore the oldest in Lorraine and one of the oldest in Europe. It suffered several ravages in the 11th and 12th centuries leading to the reconstruction of some parts and the addition of others.

On November 11, 1147, Pope Eugene III consecrated the cathedral. From the 14th to the 16th century, the building was modified in the Gothic style. After a fire in 1755 that caused him to lose two of his four bell towers, the cathedral was remodeled in Baroque and rock styles.

Gravely damaged by bombings during World War I, it was restored again. The cathedral has been a historic monument since 30 October 1906, and the cloister since 13 July 1907. It also contains...