Laon Cathedral, Gothic cathedral in Laon, France
Laon Cathedral is a Gothic church of light beige stone with a cruciform plan, a nave of twelve bays, a choir of ten bays, and a central lantern tower over the crossing. Its west facade has two tall towers, a balustrade with a Madonna and Child statue, a large rose window, and three recessed portals with pointed arches. The interior has four tiers, including double-arched tribune passages and triple-arched triforium passages that run around the whole building.
Construction began in the early Middle Ages, underwent major renewal after a fire in 1112, and was completed around 1230. This rebuilding shaped the Gothic style in the region for generations.
The north rose window, glazed around 1180, is known as the rose of the liberal arts. The cathedral was long a stop for pilgrims: in 1164 the relics of Saint Béat were translated here, and the transept's north tower is called Thomas Becket, recalling his stay in Laon in 1163. Twenty-seven chapels were built between the buttresses in the 14th century.
You can access and explore the space at your own pace or join a guided tour. The building sits on a hilltop with steep approaches, so be prepared for a challenging climb.
The north rose window, glazed around 1180, is called the rose of the liberal arts. The organ installed in 1899 on timber flooring between the towers hides its lower half and the lower western windows, a solution still debated today.
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