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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Apollinary Cathedral of Valencia, built from the 11th century under the impulse of Bishop Gontard (1063–1099), was consecrated in 1095 by Pope Urban II on his journey to the Council of Clermont. This monument, the oldest in Valencia (Drôme), embodies Romanesque art with auvergnant influences, such as its polychrome stone decorations. The dedication stone, visible in the south wall, recalls its foundation linked to the first crusade.

Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone many transformations and destructions. In 1281, lightning destroyed its bell tower, replaced by a frame arrow. The Wars of Religion (16th century) caused two fires (1562, 1567) by the Huguenots, requiring reconstruction in the 17th century in the original Romanesque style. The bell tower, weakened by several lightning strikes (1822, 1836), was finally rebuilt in the 19th century with an increased height.

The cathedral played a major symbolic role in 1799 when Pope Pius VI, exiled and dying, found refuge there. Her bowels and her heart, preserved in a mausoleum of the deambulatory, become venerated relics. This place, a stop on the way to Santiago de Compostela, also houses Gallo-Roman remains, such as a mile from Via Agrippa (274–275 A.D.), integrated into its structure.

The architecture combines a dark Romanesque nave, vaulted in a cradle, and a choir surrounded by a stroll, typical of the pilgrims churches. The organs, including an instrument by Samson Scherrer (1753) restored by Cavaillé-Coll (1898), illustrate his musical heritage. Ranked a historic monument in 1862, the cathedral remains a spiritual and cultural symbol, marked by events such as the fire of 2021 during conservation work.

The bell tower, squared and decorated with polychrome arches, dominates the Place des Ormeaux. Close by, the former bishopric (now museum) and the Pendant Square, where a characteristic vaulted monument remains, recall the historical importance of the neighborhood. The cathedral also preserves the tombs of bishops, such as Alexander Milon de Mesme, and Roman relics, including those of Eutychiana, offered by Pius IX in 1847.

In 2015–2016, the cathedral hosts a Gate of Mercy, as part of the Jubilee proclaimed by Pope Francis. This event highlights its contemporary role in valentine religious life, between medieval memory and current practices. Local specialities, such as the Swiss biscuit, created in honor of the Papal Guards, also perpetuate its heritage.

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