Vannes Cathedral

About this place

Vannes Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Peter in Vannes, Brittany, France. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Vannes. The present Gothic church was erected on the site of the former Romanesque cathedral. Its construction lasted from the 15th to the 19th centuries; if the length of the existence of the 13th century Romanesque bell tower is included, a total of seven centuries of construction. The cathedral was declared a basilica minor by Pope Pius IX on 5 June 1870. 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.