Saint-Germain Cathedral, Gothic Revival cathedral in downtown Rimouski, Canada.
Saint-Germain Cathedral is a Gothic Revival church in downtown Rimouski built with grey stone and supporting buttresses. The interior features a high vaulted ceiling and many pointed arch windows filled with stained glass.
Quebec architect Victor Bourgeau drew the plans, inspired by those of the Trois-Rivières cathedral begun in 1854, and supervised construction from 1854 to 1859. The church became a cathedral on 15 January 1867 under Jean Langevin, first bishop of Rimouski. Canon Georges Bouillon created the interior decoration in the early 20th century.
The patron saint reflects the founder's origins: René Lepage chose Germain d'Auxerre because his family came from the Yonne, while the parish is dedicated to Germain de Paris. The retable is by François-Thomas Baillargé, and the Casavant Frères organ (opus 879, 1921) has sixty-two stops on four keyboards, moved to the choir in 1967.
The cathedral stands on the Rimouski waterfront at the mouth of the Rimouski River, its 69-metre spire visible from the surrounding streets. It was closed in November 2014 because of its poor condition and reopened in February 2024, so check current opening arrangements before travelling. The organ was moved from a gallery into the choir during renovation work in 1967.
During a major fire in 1950 that destroyed many buildings across the city, the cathedral remained untouched and survived the disaster. This rare occurrence made the building a symbol of resilience for the community.
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