Origin and history
The Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Troyes, located in the Aube department in the Grand East region, is a Catholic religious building marked by a centuries-old construction, from blurred Christian origins until its partial completion in modern times. Ranked a historic monument in 1862, it embodies both the episcopal power of Troyes and architectural evolutions, from primitive Gothic to Renaissance.
The origins of the Christianization of Troyes remain uncertain, mixing legends and historical fragments. In the third century, according to some sources, the saints Potentian and Serotin, sent by Savinian de Sens, established a first place of worship in a Gallo-Roman villa, whose remains (soil and hypocauste) were discovered in the nineteenth century under the current choir. The first attested bishop, Saint Amateur, appears after the edict of Milan (313), but the foundation of the bishopric remains indaeted. The present cathedral is preceded by several buildings, including a Romanesque church of the 10th century, partially destroyed by the Normans, then rebuilt and enlarged until the 12th century.
The Gothic construction began around 1200 under the impulse of Bishop Garnier de Traînel, with a choir completed around 1240, marked by innovations such as the vitreous triforium. The work, slowed down by natural disasters (1228 hurricane, 1365) and conflicts, resumed in the 15th century under the episcopate of Louis Raguier. The nave, modified by the addition of side chapels, is connected to the transept by a side wall. The western façade, initiated in 1507 by Martin Chambiges, remains unfinished: only the north tower, dedicated to Saint Peter, is built, while the south tower, planned for Saint Paul, is never built.
The cathedral suffered major damage during the French Revolution (1789-1799), with the destruction of the sculptures of the portals, the plundering of the treasure and the dispersion of the relics. In the 19th century, ambitious restorations were carried out, notably by Eugène Millet, pupil of Viollet-le-Duc, who consolidated the pillars of the choir and restored the stained glass windows, including those of the 13th century inspired by Byzantine art. The stained glass windows, among the most remarkable in France, illustrate biblical scenes and local figures, such as Saint Loup de Troyes. The cathedral also houses historical organs, transferred from Clairvaux Abbey in 1808.
Symbol of religious and political power, the cathedral is the framework of major events, such as the Council of Troyes (1129), which formalizes the order of the Templars, or the signing of the Treaty of Troyes (1420), sealing the alliance between France and England during the Hundred Years War. His treasure, partially destroyed in 1794, preserved Byzantine relics, including a fragment of the True Cross, and limousine enamels. Today, the monument, owned by the State, is being continuously restored to preserve its decorations, sculptures and 4 exceptional bells, including the bumblebee Petrus Carolus (4.5 tons).
The architecture of the cathedral reflects its successive construction phases. The Gothic choir (XIIIth century) contrasts with the Renaissance façade (XVIth century), decorated with three portals with sculpted tympanums, now empty. The roses of the transept, including that of the north barred by a stone needle, and the stained glass windows of the "Mystic Pressor" (1625) testify to the iconographic richness of the place. The lower sides, expanded by chapels, and the double-flyed bows highlight the adaptation of the initial plans to technical and financial constraints. Despite its incompleteness, the cathedral remains a jewel of Champagne heritage, mixing local history and European artistic influences.
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