Arras Cathedral

About this place

Arras Cathedral is the Catholic church in the city of Arras, France. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishops of Arras. When the diocese of Arras was renewed in 1094 with Lambert of Guines as its first bishop, the church of Notre-Dame-en-Cité became its first cathedral. The building, constructed between 1030 and 1396, was one of the most beautiful Gothic structures in northern France. The cathedral was the resting place of Louis de Bourbon, Légitimé de France, a legitimated son of Louis XIV and Louise de La Vallière. During the French Revolution, the building was sold on 1 January 1799 to speculators and stripped of valuable fabrics. As you explore, compare the building itself with its decoration and later additions. Differences in materials, forms and imagery can reveal successive periods of patronage, making the visit a way to understand how religious places evolved over time.