Vienne FranceCathedral of St-Maurice

The Cathedral St-Maurice in Vienne is a Romanesque church inside and a Gothic Cathedral outside. Building of the Cathedral of St-Maurice started in the 11th century during the Romanesque period and finished in the early 16th during the Gothic era. During the Gothic era such Gothic trademarks as flying buttresses were added. The most notable element from the Romanesque period are the inside capitals that depict biblical scenes, plant patterns and a sculpted zodiac.

The present day Cathedral is located on a shot where a church of some kind has stood since the 4th century. Interestingly the Cathedral of St-Maurice of has no apse (roundness at the top of the cross) or transepts (the crossing of the cross), as the Cathedral St-Maurice is not in the form of a cross.

The Cathedral St-Maurice occupies an historical place in history, as it was at Vienne that a papal bull was issued by Clement V in 1312 that suppressed the Knights Templar. This was done under pressure from Philip IV of France, who was in debt to the Knights and couldn’t pay.