Bourges Cathedral

Saint Stephen of Bourges
Saint-Étienne de Bourges
Bourges Cathedral
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic Church
ProvinceArchdiocese of Bourges
RegionCentre-Val de Loire
RiteRoman
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusCathedral
StatusActive
Location
LocationBourges, France France
Geographic coordinates47°04′55″N 2°23′58″E / 47.08194°N 2.39944°E / 47.08194; 2.39944
Architecture
TypeChurch
StyleHigh Gothic, Romanesque
Groundbreaking1195 (1195)
Completedc. 1230 (1230)
Official name: Bourges Cathedral
TypeCultural
Criteriai, iv
Designated1992, modified 2013
Reference no.635bis
State PartyFrance
RegionEurope and North America
Session16th

Bourges Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges) is a Roman Catholic church located in Bourges, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Stephen and is the seat of the Archbishop of Bourges. Built atop an earlier Romanesque church from 1195 until 1230, it is largely in the High Gothic or Classic Gothic architectural style and was constructed at about the same time as Chartres Cathedral. The cathedral is particularly known for the great size and unity of its interior, the sculptural decoration of its portals, and the large collection of 13th century stained glass windows.[1] Owing to its quintessential Gothic architecture, the cathedral was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.[2]

  1. ^ Villes 2018, p. 3.
  2. ^ "Bourges Cathedral". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 17 October 2021.