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=Angers Cathedral (Angers, France)=

Angers is a famous Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral in Angers, France, built in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is a very well-known Cathedral famous for its transept stained-glass window of St. Julian, which i s considered a masterpiece of French 13th century glasswork. The cathedral is in the seat of the diocese of Angers.



History:
It was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by two bishops, Normand de Doué and Guillaume de Beaumont when it was originally burned down in 1013. During the middle ages, Angers Cathedral laid claim to the possession of the head of the head of John the Baptist.



Outside:
Angers Cathedral's architecture is based from Romanesque and Gothic styles. It's very wide and has a large Romanesque nave with no isles. This part opens into a Gothic choir spot. 12th century sculptures as well as elegant stained glass windows from the 12th through 16th centuries line the walls. The west front of the Cathedral is tall, thin, and tower-like. The lowest level of the structure was built in c.1170. The twin towers, which are up to 70m and 77m high date from the 15th century. The central tower was added in the 16th century. Sculptures of St Maurice and his companions are located at the base of the tower. There's a 12th century portal originally inspired by the west portal of Chartres Cathedral. The image of Christ in Majesty surrounded by the symbols of the Four Evangelists is depicted in its tympanum. The outer two archivolts have the 24 Elders of the Apocalypse.

** Inside: **
There's a Norman nave that dates back tot he 12th century. There are no side aisles and its three large sections are each covered with a large ribbed vault that anticipates the Gothic style. This unique style is known as the Angevin or Plantagenet vault.



Its transept was built between 1190 and 1240. The windows are pointed, lierne vaults have replaced the ribbed vaults, which are higher. This strongly represents the Gothic style of architecture. The treasury contains some fine medieval croziers and other religious objects. The Cathedral is strongly represented in its stained glass windows.



The subjects of these stained glass windows include: the Virgin Mary; martyrdom of St Catherine of Alexandria; Dormition of the Virgin; and the martyrdom of St Vincent

The location is in Angers, Loire Valley, France, in the western countryside.



** WHAT I THINK: **
I think it was very bold of the designers of the Cathedral to make it so distinctive, aside from the basic rules of what was modern architecture back then in the middle ages. I think it was awesome how it contained so many great artifacts such as the head of John the Baptist. It makes it stand out as one of the greatest churches in Europe.