Saint-Florent Cathedral, Romanesque cathedral in Saint-Florent, France.
Saint-Florent Cathedral is a Romanesque church built in the 12th century in a town on northern Corsica. The structure displays typical features of the period with thick stone walls and straightforward architectural forms.
The cathedral was built between 1125 and 1140 and served as the bishop's seat for the Diocese of Nebbio. The diocese was dissolved in 1801 and merged with the Archdiocese of Ajaccio.
The church keeps the relics of Saint Flor, a Roman soldier martyred in the 3rd century; Rome gave the relic to the Bishop of Nebbio. Since the 18th century it has been carried in procession every three years on Whit Monday to the church of Sainte-Anne in the town centre, where the town hangs green arches and coloured garlands.
The cathedral sits in a flat area near the coast and is easily reached from town. It is best to visit during daylight hours to see the architectural details clearly.
Bishops abandoned the cathedral because of malaria-carrying mosquitoes in surrounding marshes and the threat of pirate raids from the sea. Genoese troops occupied the building in 1748 during a period when the region was contested.
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