Bordeaux Cathedral

About

The Saint-André Cathedral of Bordeaux, located on Pey-Berland Square, is the largest place of worship in Bordeaux, a city in the French department of Gironde in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. This is the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Bordeaux. It was consecrated on May 1, 1096 by Pope Urban II, on tour to preach the First Crusade. It is rebuilt in Gothic style from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. In this church were celebrated two royal marriages: in 1137, the marriage of Alienor d'Aquitaine, then fifteen years old, with the future Louis VII, king of France; and in November 1615, the marriage of Anne of Austria, Infant of Spain, and Louis XIII, king of France and Navarre.

The early church: The early church was founded in the third century. The place of worship was reportedly destroyed during medieval invasions: Wisigoths during the barbaric invasions at the end of the fifth century, by the Saracens in 725, during the Norman invasions in 848 and 864. In 814, Louis le Pieux awarded a degree in immunity to the cathedral and placed its two adjacent buildings (St Marie and Chapelle St Hélène) under judicial protection...