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Origin and history

Notre-Dame de Noyon Cathedral, located in the Oise department in the Hauts-de-France region, is one of the first major Gothic buildings, built from 1145. It succeeds several earlier cathedrals, including a merovingian attested from the 6th century, destroyed by fire in 676 and 859, and rebuilt under the Carolingians. The present building was built after the fire of 1131, under the impetus of Bishop Baudouin II, with construction campaigns running until the 13th century. His transept, each arm of which ends with an apse, is a rare architectural singularity, inspired by early Gothic experiences as in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

The cathedral was the seat of the bishopric of Noyon until 1790, when it was abolished during the Revolution. It housed major relics, such as those of Saint Eloi (translated in 1157) and Saint Godeberthe (1167), used to finance the works. Damaged by a fire in 1293, it underwent restorations in the 14th and 15th centuries, then modifications in the 17th and 18th centuries. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1840, it was seriously affected during World War I (1914-1918), requiring a 20-year reconstruction (1918-1938) led by André Collin, more respectful of original remains than 19th-century restorations.

The building is distinguished by its Latin cross plan, its bedside surrounded by five radiant chapels, and a four-level nave mixing arches in the middle of the hanger and warheads. The materials, mainly local Lutetian limestones and eocene sandstone, reflect the geological resources of the region. The adjacent canonical district, with its 13th century cloister, capitular hall, and 16th century library, bears witness to medieval religious and intellectual life. Today, the cathedral remains an active place of worship, hosting Masses in Tridentin rite since 2013.

Among the remarkable elements are the organs rebuilt in the 20th century (including the organ of gallery inaugurated in 2005 by Henri Saby), and the remains of liturgical furniture, such as stalls or stained glass windows. Archaeological excavations (1921-1923, 2011) revealed traces of earlier cathedrals, but no tangible remains of the Merovingian or Carolingian buildings. The cathedral thus illustrates nearly 1,500 years of religious history, from the coronation of Charlemagne in 768 in the Carolingian building to its contemporary function.

The site is also marked by historical figures related to its diocese, such as Bishop Médard (VIth century), who moved the episcopal seat of Vermand to Noyon in 531, or master masons Florent Bleuet and Pierre Tarisel, active during the restorations of the 15th century. The bombings of 1918 destroyed part of the vaults, but subsequent reconstructions preserved its authenticity, while integrating modern techniques of photographic and archaeological documentation.

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