Meaux Cathedral () is a
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
in the town of
Meaux
Meaux () is a Communes of France, commune on the river Marne (river), Marne in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in the Functional area (France), metropolitan area of Paris, Franc ...
,
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne () is a department in the Île-de-France region in Northern France. Named after the rivers Seine and Marne, it is the region's largest department with an area of 5,915 square kilometres (2,284 square miles); it roughly covers its ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, and a
cathedral
A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
as the seat of the
Bishop of Meaux. It is a
historical monument of France.
History
Construction of the cathedral began about 1170, when a structure in
Romanesque style was started, on the site of a previous Church of Saint Stephen. Around 1269, a complete reconstruction was undertaken by Bishop Jean de Poincy. Defects in the original design and construction had to be corrected in the 13th century, in which the architect Gautier de Vainfroy was much involved. He had to remove the previous cathedral almost totally and start a new structure in Gothic style.
Its chief patroness was Queen
Joan I of Navarre.
In the later 13th century work was often interrupted due to lack of funds, a problem removed by the generosity of
Charles IV in the early 14th century. Further progress was interrupted by the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...
and occupation by the English. Unfortunately, soft stone was used and parts of the exterior have eroded.
[O'Reilly, Elizabeth Boyle. ''How France Built Her Cathedrals'', Harper & Brothers, 1921, p. 165 et seq]
/ref>
Carvings throughout the church were mutilated by the Huguenots in 1562, and from that date no further work was done on the building. One tower remains stunted. A tall spire over the transept fell into ruin and was removed in 1610.
The archives of the diocese were destroyed in 1793 – 1794, thus deleting much knowledge about the early history of the church.
The composer Pierre Moulu worked at the cathedral in the early 16th century.
Because of its construction period, the design of the cathedral encompasses several periods of Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...
. The cathedral rises to a height of 48 meters; inside, the vaults at the choir rise to 33 meters. The interior ornamentation is noted for its smoothness, and the space for its overall luminosity. The cathedral contains a famous organ, built in the 17th century.
In September 1916, on the second anniversary of the First Battle of the Marne
The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...
a service of thanksgiving was held. celebrating the French victory.''The Illustrated War News'', Volume 2, Illustrated London News and Sketch, 1916, p. 25
/ref>
Burials
* Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Jacques-Bénigne Lignel Bossuet (; 27 September 1627 – 12 April 1704) was a French Bishop (Catholic Church), bishop and theology, theologian. Renowned for his sermons, addresses and literary works, he is regarded as a brilliant orator and lit ...
[
* ]Bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
Louis Pierre Joseph Cornet (31 October 1923 - 11 September 2006)
* Marie of France, Countess of Champagne
Marie of France (1145 – 11 March 1198) was a Capetian princess who became Countess of Champagne by her marriage to Henry I of Champagne. She ruled the County of Champagne as regent during Henry I's absence from 1179 to 1181; during the mino ...
* Saint Fiacre
File:Meaux (77), cathédrale Saint-Étienne, monument commémoratif de Bossuet (1820) 2.jpg, monument commémoratif de Bossuet (1820)
File:Meaux (77), cathédrale Saint-Étienne, groupe sculpté - la Visitation 4.jpg, la Visitation
File:Tombe de Bossuet Cathédrale de Meaux 140708.jpg, Tomb of Bossuet
File:Meaux Vitrail 1869 Ste Cécile.jpg, Ste Cécile, 1869
See also
* List of Gothic cathedrals in Europe
References
Sources
* ''Dictionnaire des églises de France, Belgique, Luxembourg, Suisse'' (Tome IV-D). pp. 104–106. Robert Laffont: Paris.
* Esquieu, Yves, 1994: ''Quartier cathédral''. Rempart / Desclée de Brouwer: Paris.
{{Authority control
Roman Catholic cathedrals in France
Churches in Seine-et-Marne
Basilica churches in France