Laval Cathedral, Romanesque cathedral in Laval, France
Laval Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the center of Laval, France, combining Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements within the same building. It sits between two main squares and its interior features arches, columns, and stained glass windows from different centuries.
The building traces back to a chapel founded around 1070 by monks, and it was expanded and reshaped over several centuries. It only became a cathedral in 1855, when the Diocese of Laval was created.
The interior holds a set of 17th-century tapestries showing biblical scenes, which give the space a character rarely found in a church of this size. These works were lost for a long period before being found again and returned to the building.
The cathedral is easy to reach on foot from the center of Laval and its entrances are at street level. Since it remains an active place of worship, wearing modest clothing during a visit is a good idea.
The bell tower has a base from the 12th century but its upper section was added in the early 20th century to match Neo-Romanesque ideas of the time. This means the bottom of the tower is nearly 800 years older than the top.
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