Cathédrale Saint-Gatien

The Cathedral of Saint-Gatien de Tours, built between 1240 and 1547 and classified as historical monuments since 1862, is the cathedral of the diocese of Tours.

The Cathedral of Saint-Gatien is situated in the city centre near the former palace of the archbishop which hosts the Musée des Beaux-arts of Tours. This architectural masterpiece is the most important building of fifty churches that  owned the city during the former regime. The present cathedral, which has a long history being one of the most famous center of pilgrimage in the West, is the successor to three other churches: This will require three centuries to complete the present Cathedral of Saint-Gatien. 

It provides in its construction, the estate of the Gothic, late Gothic and Renaissance  allowing visitors to appreciate the architectural evolution. The two towers of the Cathedral of St. Gatien, in Renaissance style, are visible from far away in Tours and the surrounding area. The building has a facade with rich decorations and sculptures, while the interior has remained pure and simple in spite of the exceptional stained glass windows collection and high columns.

Visitors can admire a magnificent mausoleum of the children of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany, made in the early sixteenth century.