Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Corbeil-Essonnes Cathedral came into being in 957, when Count Haymon de Corbeil founded a collegiate church to house the relics of Saint Exupère (or Saint Spire), the first bishop of Bayeux. In the 11th century, the relics of Saint Loup, the third bishop of Bayeux, were also deposited, and the collegiate church was dedicated to the two saints. Count Bouchard II of Corbeil strengthened the whole in 1070, creating the cloister Saint-Spire. The building suffered several destructions (fires in 1019, 1137 and 1144) before being rebuilt between the 12th and 15th centuries, with Romanesque and Gothic elements.

The college was partially rebuilt in the 14th century, notably with the addition of the ogival gate of the cloister. In 1437, after centuries of work, it was solemnly dedicated. The great organs, added between 1657 and 1659, were destroyed and restored several times, especially after the damage caused by Prussian soldiers in 1871. The building was listed as a historic monument in 1840 and again in 1913. The stained glass windows, destroyed during the bombings of 1918 and 1944, were replaced in 1946.

In 1966, the college was elevated to the rank of cathedral when the diocese of Corbeil-Essonnes was founded. The building, built in granite and limestone, combines various architectural styles: Romanesque pillars, Gothic vaults and 15th century choir. Among its remarkable elements are the laying of Count Aymon I (XIVth century), a painting by Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse representing Saint Exupère, and a 17th century organ buffet. These elements, classified as historical monuments, bear witness to its rich religious and artistic past.

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