Troyes Cathedral, Gothic cathedral in Troyes, France
Troyes Cathedral is a Gothic structure with two contrasting towers on its west front, one completed and one remaining unfinished, creating an unusual appearance. Inside, tall vaults rest on slender columns that rise through the nave and create a sense of height and openness.
A fire in 1188 damaged the Romanesque cathedral, and reconstruction in the Gothic style began in 1199 or 1200 under Bishop Garnier de Traînel. The west front was rebuilt from 1508 by Martin Chambiges; the north tower was finished in 1634 with only two of four planned corner steeples, and the south tower was never started.
The cathedral's windows span several campaigns: the upper choir glass survived the French Revolution, while the lower choir windows were destroyed or dismantled in that period. In 1235–1240 the triforium walls were filled with stained glass, an element borrowed from Saint-Denis. An enamel of Bishop Lupus healing a deaf young woman hangs in the church, with the old cathedral shown behind.
The cathedral sits in central Troyes and is easy to reach on foot, especially when exploring the old town around it. To fully see the windows and interior details, plan to spend time walking around different parts of the building and looking upward.
The triforium, the mid-level band of the nave walls, is filled with stained glass rather than stone, an element borrowed from the Basilica of Saint-Denis after the hurricane of 1228 forced the upper walls to be rebuilt between 1235 and 1240. Look for this glazed band between the main arcade and the tall upper windows.
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