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Origin and history

Saint-Pierre de Rennes Cathedral, located in Ille-et-Vilaine, is an emblematic monument of Brittany, combining Gothic, classical and neo-classical styles. Its history begins in the sixth century with the establishment of a bishopric on its present site, probably on the remains of an older sanctuary. The 12th century Gothic building, rebuilt after the collapse of its facade in 1490, was the scene of a major historical event: in 1483, Henri Tudor (future Henri VII of England) promised to marry Elizabeth of York, sealing the end of the War of the Two Roses.

The reconstruction of the facade, carried out between the 16th and 17th centuries by Lavallois architects such as Tugal Caris and Pierre Corbineau, resulted in a masterpiece of granite, 48 metres high, decorated with columns and the motto of Louis XIV. Despite the works, the nave and the choir, considered irreparable in the eighteenth century, were demolished in 1756. Architects Jacques-Germain Soufflot and Nicolas Marie Potain proposed an ambitious project, including a reversal of the building's orientation, but financial constraints and the French Revolution delayed its completion.

The work resumed under Mathurin Crucy in 1787, then Louis-Guy Richelot after 1826. The cathedral, completed in 1845, adopted a neo-classical style with an ionic nave and a fabulous interior decor, including frescoes by Alphonse Le Henaff and a 16th century Flemish altarpiece. Ranked a historic monument in 1906, it also houses remarkable organs, including a Grand Organ of Cavaillé-Coll (1874), and a 7.9-ton bumblebee, the heaviest in Brittany.

The interior furniture and decors, such as the golden vaults by Auguste Jobbé-Duval or the statues of the tetramorphs installed in 2019 under the dome, testify to its rich artistic heritage. The crypt, accessible during the episcopal burials, preserves the tombs of cardinals and archbishops, including Clement Roques and François Saint-Macary. Recent restorations (2009–2014) have preserved its stained glass windows and decorations, reinforcing its role as a Breton religious and cultural symbol.

The cathedral was also the scene of notable flights, such as three panels of the altarpiece in 2007, only one of which was found. Its bells, including the Bourdon Godefroy (1867), and its two organs – one of Merklin-Schütze (1867), the other rebuilt by Haerpfer-Erman (1970) – make it a major place of French musical and architectural heritage. Its history reflects the political and artistic upheavals of Brittany, from medieval wars to the Revolution, including 19th century restorations.

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