Fréjus Cathedral

About this place

Fréjus Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Fréjus in the Var department of Provence, southeast France, and dedicated to Saint Leontius of Fréjus. The cathedral was the seat of the Bishop of Fréjus from the 5th century. The diocese was abolished in 1801 but restored in 1822 under bull Paternae charitatis. In 1957, the Diocese of Fréjus was united with that of Toulon to form the present Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, with its seat at Toulon Cathedral. Since then, Fréjus Cathedral has been a co-cathedral in the new diocese. The church is part of a complex of medieval religious buildings dating from between the 5th and 13th centuries, when Fréjus was an important religious and commercial centre of Provence. 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.