Cloître de la cathédrale du Puy-en-Velay

The Cloister of Cathedral Le Puy-en-Velay is a Romanesque building which is famous for its arcades and its remarkable polychrome capitals. It is perched on a volcanic mound and it appears in the road to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. The monument was built in XI and XII centuries, when the cathedral of Le Puy-en-Velay was enlarged. This monastery was designed to accommodate the secular canons who formed the council of the bishop. In XIX century, the monastery has undergone many restoration works, it now includes polychrome arches surmounted by a cornice and beautiful carved capitals. A mural inspired by the Byzantine period of the XIII century and represents the Crucifixion, adorns the south wall of the chapter house. The gate of the west gallery is a beautiful book that celebrates the ironwork of XII century. The building also has battlements that can be visited in part. This military building built on 5 levels symbolized the power of the bishop. A religious art museum, opened in 1895, completes the tour, it has collections of religious art, as ex-votos, liturgical objects, as well as sculptures and reliefs in wood.