Rouen - Cathedral

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century.

Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert.

The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated.

The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180. It took centuries to complete the building.

Many of the statues, that once were placed on the facade, were destroyed by Calvinists in the late 16th century, when the cathedral was badly damaged during the Wars of Religion. The remaining are weathered and meanwhile can be found in the choir.