Oh this is wonderful unique Gothic in France. I am thrill to tell you it is in my beloved city of Meaux and a place never missed when in town, and we have been there so many times as it is the native town of my dear late wife Martine. I have written a post before but this is new text and new older pictures on the Cathédrale Saint Etienne de Meaux!!!
Therefore, this is again another rendition to a great cathedral of France, the St Stephens’ Cathedral of Meaux, This is in Seine et Marne dept 77 of the region of Île de France !!! My other post was long on the history and construction so will be briefer this time with some additional tidbits. These are pictures that even if older were not in my blog and they should me think, All for the memories of Meaux !! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The current Cathédrale Saint Etienne was built on the site of an old Romanesque cathedral. It is now impossible to date precisely the beginnings of the reconstruction of the cathedral, following the destruction of the archives of the bishopric in 1793-94 (during the French revolution). However, it can estimate that it began around 1175.
In the first half of the 13C, the first chancel, the transept and part of the nave were completed. Faced with the subsidence of the ground, restoration work was dispatched from 1253, less than a hundred years after the start of construction. The choir was rebuilt in the radiant Gothic style, to be completed in 1275. At the beginning of the 16C, the facades of the transepts were erected. At this time, radiant chapels were also added. The nave was not really completed at the beginning of the 15C. The portals of the western facade were made between the second half of the 14C and the beginning of the 16C. The “black tower”, to the south, received a temporary wooden covering in 1460, which would become permanent. The north tower was completed in 1540.
The south tower, also nicknamed the Tour Noire or black tower, is intriguing. The 60-meter-high north tower is the last completed architectural element. A second tower should have been erected on the south side. Pending the work, a tower made of wood had been installed to temporarily install the bells. The appearance of a large Protestant center in Meaux and then the religious wars which hit the region hard undoubtedly formed an unfavorable context for the continuation of the site. Five centuries later, the one nicknamed the black tower is still in place and has become definitive.
The Saint Stephens Cathedral has dimensions of 85 meters on the interior. The height of the North tower: 60 meters, (against 69 for N.D.de Paris). The height under the vault of the nave: 31 meters.
The city of Meaux on the Cathedral: https://www.ville-meaux.fr/fr/tourisme/balade-a-meaux/la-cathedrale.html
The Meaux Marne Ourcq tourist office on the Cathedral St Stephens:https://www.meaux-marne-ourcq.com/decouvrir/les-incontournables/cathedrale-basilique-saint-etienne/
The Diocese of Meaux on the Cathédrale Saint Etienne (St Stephens) : https://www.catho77.fr/le-diocese-de-meaux/la-cathedrale-de-meaux/
There you go folks, again,more of the wonderful Cathedral Saint Etienne of Meaux ; the beautiful cathedral is a marvel of France and a must visit. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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