Church of the Holy Cross

The Cathedral of Saint-Croix (Sacred Cross) is located in the center of Orleans, on the square of the same name. In ancient times it was preceded by a small church consecrated to the glory of the Cross, which St. Helena found in Jerusalem. The original church was demolished in 865 by the Normans, but after a while it was restored. A fire broke out in 989 again destroyed it, and on the site of the ancient church was built a Romanesque basilica, in the XIII century rebuilt in the Gothic style.

In 1568, the building of the church was destroyed by the Huguenots, and in 1601 King Henry IV, together with Maria de Medici, laid the first stone of the future cathedral. By 1773, the construction of the cathedral was largely completed. Over the next ten years, various superstructures and alterations were made, and only in 1829 King Charles IX solemnly announced the completion of construction. During the celebration of the four hundredth anniversary of the liberation of Orleans by Joan of Arc, the cathedral was solemnly consecrated.

In addition to the beautiful architecture, the decoration of the sacristy of the cathedral deserves attention, on the ceiling of which miniature sculptural compositions are placed, and on the walls of the murals there are coats of arms and the names of the Orlean bishops.