The Cathedral of Notre-Dame and Saint Castor

Cathedral of Notre-Dame and Saint Castor, Nimes. Image published under the GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.2 or later

The cathedral of Notre-Dame and Saint Castor is located at the Place aux Herbes in the historic centre of Nimes.

The first cathedral, consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096, was constructed on the foundations of an earlier Roman church.

The cathedral, the seat of the town's Catholic bishop, was demolished by Protestant rioters in 1567, reconstructed in 1610, demolished by the Huguenots in 1621, and finally reconstructed in 1646.

The facade retains some stones from the eleventh century church, many of which were taken from the original  Roman building. These stones, blackened by age, are easily distinguishable from the 17th century chalk stones.

The rectangular tower, a useful observation post, was left standing by the Protestant mob. The lower part, with primitive crenellations visible above the clock dial, dates  from the eleventh century. The machiolations were added in fourteenth century and the belfry in the 15th century.

The door, topped by a classical pedestal, was constructed in 1822. The pilasters above the door create a symmetry between the lateral and central windows.

A panel from the mediaeval part of the frieze depicting the story of Cain and Abel

A panel from the 17th century frieze. Note the oversized heads intended to make the figures recognisable from the ground.

The frieze on the gable of the west front dates from 1646 although parts of an earlier mediaeval frieze, which illustrate the stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel, remain.

The later reliefs, which also depict Old Testament themes, often feature over-sized heads and so are more easily visible from the ground whereas the mediaeval reliefs, which are realistically proportioned, are more difficult to see.

The interior is composed of a single nave with side chapels and a high-vaulted ceiling supported by pointed arches

The third chapel on the south side contains an early Christian sarcophagus and the tomb of the Cardinal de Bernis (1715-1794), a minister of Louis XV.

The chapel of Saint Sacrament, located in the south transept, houses the tomb of Esprit Flechier who was the Bishop of Nimes during the Camisard revolt of the early 18th century. The position of his tomb is marked by a small cross in the centre of one of the chapel's mosaic pavement  roses. Whereas the other roses contain red crosses, the one which marks the bishop's final resting place is gold.

The church, originally dedicated to Our Lady the Virgin, was rededicated to Saint Castor of Apt at the time of the French Revolution. Saint Castor, who was born in Nimes, was a fifth century priest who founded the monastery of Monaque and became Bishop of Apt.

The church was renamed by the Prostestant revolutionaries who wrested control of Nimes from the royalist Catholics and expelled the bishop.

The fusion of the two names was intended to reconcile the opposing factions.

 

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