Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assumption of Entrevaux, built between 1609 and 1630 in a post-medieval Gothic style, replaces the former Romanesque cathedral of Glandèves. Its construction was decided in 1604 by Bishop Octave Isnard after the transfer of the episcopal seat to Entrevaux in 1603, motivated by defensive reasons. The construction site, marked by the participation of several master masons, ended around 1630 for the structure, while the bell tower and interior decoration were completed in the years 1650-1660. The church, oriented northeast due to the small site, was integrated into the ramparts in 1692, with its creneled bell tower serving as a defense tower.

Ranked a historical monument in 1996, the cathedral is distinguished by its unique nave plan of 40 meters long, vaulted on cross-walls, and its lower pentagonal choir. Its partly classified furniture includes 17th century altarpieces, walnut stalls, and a 1717 organ restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. The building also reflects local religious history: the seat of the bishopric of Glandèves from 1624 to 1790, then parish church, before becoming in 2009 the seat of a titular bishopric.

The construction takes place in a context of ecclesiastical and military reorganization. The Glandèves site, considered vulnerable, is gradually abandoned in favour of Entrevaux, a safer fortified city. Four bishops played a key role in the work: Clement Isnard, Jean-Dominique Ithier, Henri Hachette des Portes, and René Leclerc. Major repairs were recorded in 1837 (voûts), 1850 (scaling), and 1980-1987 (roof, bell tower).

The liturgical furniture includes notable works such as a altarpiece of 1716, a painting by François Mimault (1631), and reliquaries of the 18th and 19th centuries. The glass windows, limited to three on the southern facade, and the absence of side chapels underline the adaptation of the building to its forced environment. The door of the walnut bell tower (17th-15th century) and the copper quest dishes (16th century) testify to the preserved heritage richness.

The organ, classified, illustrates the musical importance of the cathedral. Built in 1717 by Jean Eustache, it was restored in 1864 and 1948. The cathedral, today a communal property, remains a symbol of Provencal religious and defensive heritage, linked to the history of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the former diocese of Glandèves.

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