Valence Cathedral, Romanesque cathedral in Valence, France

Valence Cathedral is a Romanesque church with a long, high nave of seven bays, barrel-vaulted and lit only by the round-arched windows of its side aisles. The choir is encircled by an ambulatory with radiating chapels, and the apse is surrounded by four semi-circular chapels. Polychrome stonework links it to churches of Auvergne and Velay.

Pope Urban II consecrated this building in 1095, establishing it as an important religious site. After being destroyed during the Wars of Religion, it was reconstructed in the 17th century and restored to its current form.

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Apollinaris, an early Christian martyr whose veneration shaped the spiritual life of the region. The choice of this saint reflects the deep religious roots that the building maintains today.

The cathedral stands on Place des Ormeaux in Old Valence, above the old ramparts. Enter by the side door on the square or from Place du Pendentif to the north, where the cloister once stood. The porch tower entrance is no longer used.

Inside the ambulatory stands a Roman milestone from the via Agrippa dating to the 3rd century, demonstrating how ancient materials were reused in later construction. This stone connects two historical periods within the same space.