Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Abbeys, Churches, Priories in Saintes

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According to tradition, the Saint-Pierre cathedral was built on the site of an old Christian building from the 6th century, the work of the Bishop of Saint Pallais. The current building is the result of numerous construction and restoration campaigns from the 12th to the 18th centuries. It is largely reconstructed from the middle of the 15th century and very few ancient elements have been preserved.

Its pinnacle buttresses, pointed arches and imposing 72m high bell tower-porch give it, from the outside, a completely Gothic look.

The bell tower that houses the entrance to the cathedral has a large sculpted portal. The nave is covered with a frame on the central vessel while the aisles are vaulted with warheads. The nave is enlarged by the presence of eight side chapels. The transept, which is not very prominent, retains in the south arm a dome on 12th century pendants and opens onto a long chevet with ambulatory and nine radiant chapels.

Only three of them escaped destruction, including the axis chapel, decorated in the Renaissance style. Finally, the cloister, which still has two 13th century galleries and the convent buildings adjoining it in the southern part, complete this heterogeneous episcopal complex.

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