Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Étienne Cathedral of Toulouse, located in the historic centre of the city, is a Roman Catholic monument marked by atypical architecture, mixing Roman and Gothic elements. Its origins date back at least to 1071, when Bishop Isarn de Lavaur undertook to rebuild a building then in ruins. The site previously houses a chapel founded by Saint Saturnin in the third century, rebuilt by Saint Exupère 150 years later. The absence of complete archaeological excavations makes it difficult to accurately reconstruct its early stages.

The cathedral is distinguished by its composite structure: a raimondin naf, an early example of the southern Gothic (early 13th century), and a choir of Gothic style radiating (from 1272), twice as wide as the nave. These parts, linked to the sixteenth century by Cardinal Jean d'Orléans, illustrate the hesitations and unaboutis projects that are worth the building the nickname "unfinished cathedral". The choir, originally planned to compete with the cathedrals of the North, saw its final vault installed in 1609 by Pierre Levesville, after a fire.

The history of the cathedral is also marked by destruction and restoration. In 1794, his 12-ton bumblebee, Cardailhac, was destroyed during a revolutionary act. In the 19th century, major changes, such as the north transept façade (1938), attempted to harmonize the whole. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1862, it houses remarkable works, including 14th century stained glass windows, baroque altarpieces, and a carillon of 17 bells. His religious role remains active, with a dynamic parish and archipescopal celebrations.

The bell tower, fortified and equipped with a carillon reconstituted after the Revolution, dominates the building. Inside, the raimondine nave preserves re-used novel capitals, while the choir, decorated with stalls and a altarpiece carved by Gervais Drouet (1662-1670), houses illustrious tombs, such as that of Pierre-Paul Riquet, promoter of the Canal du Midi. The radiant chapels, numbering 15, combine medieval dedications and modern arrangements, reflecting liturgical and artistic developments.

The organ, rebuilt by Cavaillé-Coll in 1852 and classified, as well as the 16th century wall hangings representing the life of St Stephen, bear witness to the preserved artistic heritage. The cathedral, the seat of the archdiocese of Toulouse, embodies both a living place of worship and an architectural palimpsest, where each era has left a visible and often contrasting imprint.

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