Gap Cathedral, Gothic Revival cathedral in Gap, France
Gap Cathedral is a Gothic Revival church in the center of Gap, in the French Alps, and serves as the seat of the Diocese of Gap and Embrun. The facade is made of stones in several natural colors, and the tower rises high enough to be seen from many parts of the city.
Work on the present building started in 1866 under Bishop Bernadou, replacing an older medieval church that had stood on the same site. The construction lasted nearly forty years and was completed in 1904 under architect Charles Laisné.
The cathedral is built from stones of different colors, giving its facade a look that stands out among churches in the region. Inside, paintings and sculptures from different periods line the walls and chapels, including depictions of local saints and biblical scenes.
The cathedral stands on Place Georges de Manteyer, right in the heart of Gap, and can be reached on foot from most central points in the city. Visiting outside of religious services gives you more time to walk around the interior without interruption.
The mosaics inside were made by Giandomenico Facchina, the same artist who worked on the mosaics of the Paris Opera. The stained glass windows are by Émile Hirsch, making the building a rare example of a collaboration between an Italian mosaic artist and a French glassmaker.
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