The Cathedral of Bourges

A Royal City since the year 1100, Bourges is growing in size and prosperity. In the upper part of the town, the Great Tower, which is the twin of the keep at the Louvre, is the symbol of Royal Power.

The new Gothic Cathedral which is under construction is a hymn to the authority of the Archbishops of Bourges, primates of Aquitaine. Figurehead of the Capetian domain facing the south of France, St Etienne’s Cathedral had to be unique in design. The architectural style chosen by the unknown Master-builder is based on a plan with no transept and plastic effects of great modernity for their time.

The Cathedral is still surrounded by the half-timbered houses of the medieval town. These are the criteria which earned the addition of St Etienne’s Cathedral to UNESCO World Heritage sites list in 1992.