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Origin and history

Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras Cathedral, located in the city of Arras (Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France), is a Catholic church built in 1778. Originally conceived as the abbey church of St. Vaast Abbey, it became a cathedral in 1804, replacing the former Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame-en-Cité destroyed during the Revolution. The building, of classical style, is designed by architect Pierre Contant d'Ivry, known for his work on the church of Madeleine in Paris.

The Saint-Vaast Abbey, dating back to the 7th century, was rebuilt in the 18th century in a classical style. The abbey church, whose work began in 1766, was covered but not vaulted during the Revolution. In 1802, Bishop Hugues of La Tour d'Auvergne chose this building to become the cathedral of the diocese, after the destruction of the old cathedral. The work resumed in 1815 according to Contant d'Ivry's initial plans, but was interrupted in 1833 for budgetary reasons.

The cathedral suffered extensive damage during the First World War, especially in 1915. The restorations, carried out by Pierre Paquet from 1920, lasted fourteen years and incorporated modern techniques such as reinforced concrete for vaults. The interior decoration is redone in a sober neoclassical style, although the axial chapel retains its original appearance. The cathedral was restored to worship in 1934.

The architecture of the cathedral combines classical and Gothic elements, such as apparent bow-buttons, a luminous skeleton and Corinthian columns. The 116-metre-long building is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Vaast, the first bishop of Arras. Its interior houses notable works of art, including sculptures, paintings and stained glass, as well as a large organ installed in 1962.

Among the remarkable elements are a high altar in black granite and golden bronze by Georges Saupique, statues of saints transferred from the Pantheon of Paris, and funeral monuments dedicated to local religious figures. The cathedral, listed as a Historic Monument in 1906, remains a symbol of the religious and architectural heritage of the Hauts-de-France.

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