Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Saint-Maurice d'Angers Cathedral, listed as a historic monument in 1862, embodies the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles. Its construction began in the 12th century after the fire of 1032, with a unique nave inspired by the models of Angoulême and Fontevraud. The bishops Renaud de Martigné and Ulger launched his reconstruction around 1102–48, while Normand de Doué and Guillaume de Beaumont completed the nave and monumental portal around 1150. The Romanesque walls, preserved at mid-height, receive dogive vaults, marking the birth of the Gothic Angelvin.

In the 13th century, the choir and the transept were built on the ancient walls of the city. The Western portal (1150), inspired by Chartres, presents an eschatological program with a Christ in majesty and traces of original polychromy, restored between 2009 and 2019. The twin arrows (75 m), added in 1518–23 by Jean Delespine, crown towers adorned with a gallery of knights, companions of Saint Maurice, in a Renaissance style.

The interior houses a baroque master altar (1758) in gilded wood, inspired by Saint Peter of Rome, and a neo-Gothic pulpit (1870) carved by Abbé Choyer, illustrating the Apocalypse. The stained glass windows, including the 15th century roses by André Robin, and the organs rebuilt by Cavaillé-Coll in 1873, bear witness to its rich heritage. The medieval porch, destroyed in 1806, was replaced in 2025 by a contemporary structure designed by Kengo Kuma.

The cathedral suffered damage during the 1944 bombings, requiring restorations (organs, stained glass windows). Its nine bells, including Mauritius (6.7 tons, félée), and its treasure (table Beaussant, murals) make it a major site of religious heritage. The archives also mention a cloister destroyed in the 19th century and a crypt dug in 1763.

External links