Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Tulle was founded in the 7th century with the foundation of a monastery, destroyed by the Normans in 846 and rebuilt in the 9th century. In the 11th century, under the leadership of Father William of Carbonnières and with the support of Pope Urban II, the prosperous Benedictine abbey began in 1103 the construction of a new abbey. The works, originally novels, evolve towards Gothic in the 13th century, as evidenced by the current cloister, now transformed into a museum.

In 1317, the abbey became cathedral with the creation of the diocese of Tulle, extracted from that of Limoges. The monument underwent major upheavals during the Revolution: in 1793 it was transformed into a temple of Reason, looted and then used as a cannon factory. The collapse of the dome in 1796 led to the destruction of the transept and choir, reducing the building to its present nave, which had been worshipped in 1805.

The bell tower, a masterpiece from the 13th to 14th centuries culminating at 73 meters, is marked by an octagonal arrow restored after a fire in 1645. Recent restorations (2013–2015) concerned both the structure of the bell tower and the six bells, including the bumblebee of 1632. The interior, sober and bright, houses medieval shawls, a statue of Saint John the Baptist (16th century), and a classified neoclassical organ, restored several times between 1975 and 2002.

Ranked a historic monument in 1862, the cathedral illustrates the architectural transitions between Romanesque and Gothic, while bearing the stigmas of revolutionary upheavals. Its cloister, its limousine portal with polylobed arch, and its spiritual role make it a symbol of the Correzian heritage, celebrated until philately with a stamp issued in 2003.

External links