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Besançon Cathedral
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Besançon Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Jean de Besançon) is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint John located in the city of Besançon, France. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Besançon.
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Besançon Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Jean de Besançon | |
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![]() Besançon Cathedral | |
Religion | |
Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
Province | Archbishop of Besançon |
Region | Doubs |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
Status | Active |
Location | |
Location | Besançon, France |
Geographic coordinates | 47°14′1″N 6°1′50″E |
Architecture | |
Type | church |
Style | Romanesque |
Groundbreaking | 11th century |
Completed | 19th century |
The cathedral consists of a large nave between two aisles, and dates from the 11th to the 13th century. It has two facing apses, each with an altar. The lack of a transept and the facing apses parallel the designs of contemporary German cathedrals. The Romanesque arches date from the 13th century. It does not have a main doorway. The choir dates to the 18th century.
The cathedral is situated near the base of Mont Saint-Étienne, below the citadel. To the east of the cathedral is the 16th-century Porte Rivotte, with two round towers, and pedestrian walkways dating to the 19th century. To the west is the Porte Noire, a Roman triumphal arch of the 2nd century with extensive sculptural decoration.