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Origin and history

Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation de Moulins Cathedral finds its origins in a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter, mentioned in 990 and dependent on the priory of Souvigny. In 1097, Pope Urban II confirmed the donations made to this priory, including the capella of Molinis, which became a church in the 12th century due to population growth. This chapel, located near the future castle of the Dukes of Bourbon, was transformed into a collegiate church in 1386 by Louis II of Bourbon, who installed there a chapter of twelve canons under the direct authority of the Holy See.

The construction of the present building began in 1468 with the laying of the first stone by Agnes de Bourgogne, widow of Duke Charles I of Bourbon. This flamboyant Gothic choir, completed around 1550, replaces a medieval chapel and becomes the heart of the future cathedral. The works, interrupted in 1508, resumed under Duke Peter II of Bourbon and his wife Anne of France, daughter of Louis XI. The choir, temporarily closed by a gable decorated with a rosette, served as a facade until 1854. The college was erected as a cathedral in 1823 when the diocese of Moulins was founded, marking the beginning of a major enlargement campaign.

In the 19th century, Bishop Pierre Simon de Dreux-Brézé undertook important works to double the surface of the nave and add two collaterals, as well as a neo-Gothic facade inspired by the Franciscan style of the 12th century. The plans, originally designed by Jean-Baptiste Antoine Lassus (author of the restorations of Notre-Dame de Paris), were continued after his death in 1857 by Eugene Millet and Paul Selmersheim, under the influence of Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. The two 82-metre arrows, the historical stained glass windows (including that of Saint Catherine, dating from the 16th century), and the triptych of the Master of Moulins (circa 1500) make this monument an exceptional testimony of medieval and modern religious art.

The cathedral also houses major works such as the 11th century Black Virgin, a Deplore of Christ in flamboyant Gothic sculpture, and a Merklin organ (1880) classified as a historical monument. Consecrated in 1923 and erected as a minor basilica in 1949, it has been classified as historical monuments since 1875. His chapter, founded in 1386, played a central role in the religious history of Bourbonnais, linked to the Dukes of Bourbon and then to the bishopric of Moulins.

The stained glass windows, financed by local notables in the 15th and 16th centuries, illustrate biblical scenes and portraits of donors, such as the Duke John II or Anne of France. The triptych of the Master of Moulins, commissioned by Peter II and Anne of France, is today attributed to the Dutch painter John Hey. The cathedral also preserves relics, such as a 17th century ivory christ, and ducal tombs, including those of the wives of John II of Bourbon.

The architecture harmoniously blends the flamboyant Gothic of the choir (two-storey pyramide, bow-buttons, balustrades) and the neogothic of the nave (voûts at 25 meters, facade with two arrows). The liturgical furniture, like the Jube destroyed at the Revolution or the 16th century stalls, bears witness to its rich past. The cathedral remains a place of pilgrimage, especially for the Black Virgin, associated with miracles like the stop of a fire in 1655.

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