St. John's Cathedral

The monumental building of the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian is located in the historical and central part of Besançon and is the main temple of the city of Lyon. It was rebuilt in the XI century on the initiative of Archbishop Besanson Hugo I and was located on the site of the old temple dedicated to St. Stephen. Subsequently, the temple was consecrated in honor of St. John the Theologian and several times rebuilt.

The last restoration works belong to the XVIII century, in which the architect Germain Boffrand created a new bell tower and choir. This is one of the active religious buildings of France, belonging to the Romanesque-Rhine type. Three chapels are located in the northern part and there are several interconnected halls, in the design of which unique stained glass windows are used. The play of light and color with the help of stained glass is born an atmosphere of mystery and grandeur.

Of great interest is the available paintings of famous masters, including paintings by Renaissance artist Fra Bartolomeo and French artists of the XVIII century Jean-François Troy and Carl Vanloo.

The real “highlight” of the temple is the astronomical clock, which is still operating today. The oldest clock in France shows not only the time but also the position of the moon and sun relative to the Earth.