Senez Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Senez Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and national monument of France
, in Senez
.
It was formerly the seat of the Bishopric of Senez, abolished under the Concordat of 1801
, when its territory was added to the Diocese of Digne.
church stands on the site of several older cathedral buildings, but itself dates from the 12th-13th centuries. Construction started in 1176 and the cathedral was consecrated on 22 October 1246.
It suffered severely in the French Wars of Religion
and its belltower was destroyed by Protestants. It was rebuilt in the 17th century.
It is particularly known for its church furnishings. The tapestries (seven by Aubusson
, end of the 17th century, and one by Audemar of Enghien
, end of the 16th century) were presented by Monseigneur de Ruffo Bonneval (bishop of Senez 1783-1784) to mark the completion of the restoration. Napoleon I
passed through Senez on 3 March 1815 and greatly admired them. The church's choir stalls, lectern
and altar, of the 17th and 18th centuries, are also particularly fine. It has two altarpiece
s of carved and gilded wood, also from the 17th century.
Outside, on the west wall, is a sundial
, dating from 1673 and repainted in 1784.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in Senez
Senez
Senez is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Ecclesiastical history:Marcellus I, the first known bishop of Senez, attended the Council of Agde in 506; nevertheless, Senez must have been an episcopal city as early as 439.Jean IV Soanen, the Oratorian, noted...
.
It was formerly the seat of the Bishopric of Senez, abolished under the Concordat of 1801
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801. It solidified the Roman Catholic Church as the majority church of France and brought back most of its civil status....
, when its territory was added to the Diocese of Digne.
Building history
The present RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church stands on the site of several older cathedral buildings, but itself dates from the 12th-13th centuries. Construction started in 1176 and the cathedral was consecrated on 22 October 1246.
It suffered severely in the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
and its belltower was destroyed by Protestants. It was rebuilt in the 17th century.
It is particularly known for its church furnishings. The tapestries (seven by Aubusson
Aubusson, Creuse
Aubusson is a commune in the Creuse department in the Limousin region in central France.-Geography:...
, end of the 17th century, and one by Audemar of Enghien
Enghien
Enghien is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km²....
, end of the 16th century) were presented by Monseigneur de Ruffo Bonneval (bishop of Senez 1783-1784) to mark the completion of the restoration. Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
passed through Senez on 3 March 1815 and greatly admired them. The church's choir stalls, lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
and altar, of the 17th and 18th centuries, are also particularly fine. It has two altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s of carved and gilded wood, also from the 17th century.
Outside, on the west wall, is a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
, dating from 1673 and repainted in 1784.