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Origin and history

Sainte-Marie-de-l'Assomption Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Upper Town, is a former Catholic cathedral located in Vaison-la-Romane, in the department of Vaucluse. Its origin dates back to a community decision of the 15th century to build a place of worship closer to the inhabitants of the upper city. The construction began in 1464 under the impetus of Bishop William III of Cheisolme, who installed an organ and his own tomb. The stones used come in part from the ruins of the St. Lawrence Chapel, located in the plain, recognisable by their tasker marks.

The building was modified several times until the 18th century, with notable enlargements in 1599-1601 by master masons Jacques Furet and Antoine Cuchet, and a reconstruction of the façade and the gallery in 1776 by architect Teyssier. The cathedral, originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Saint Quenin (Patron of Vaison) and all the saints, was abandoned in 1897 for the benefit of the Romanesque cathedral Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth, then becoming a simple parish church. It was listed as a historic monument in 1994, after its first inscription in 1946.

Closed for twenty-five years for restoration work, the cathedral reopened in 2015 for cultural and cultural events. Among its restored treasures are a golden wooden statue from St Joseph to the Child Jesus (17th century) and a painting by William Greve depicting the Repenter of St Peter. A fresco of the Coronation of the Virgin, located on the vault of a chapel, is still subject to consolidation. A call for donations was launched by the Heritage Foundation to preserve the building, still threatened by structural risks.

The site of the cathedral, at the height of a cliff, incorporates at its base the rampart of the upper city, highlighting its role both religious and defensive. His liturgical furniture, partially dispersed after 1897, was restored to him during recent restorations. The building thus illustrates the architectural and liturgical evolutions of Vaison-la-Romane, between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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