St Die Cathedral

Sometimes you enter a church and you are ready to leave a few minutes later. Sometimes you come across something quite inspiring like this cathedral.

It is built from the local red sandstone.

The first surprise is how light and airy it is inside.

Somebody was practicing on the organ as we entered.

By Gerald Collot.

Obviously most of the stained glass windows were destroyed during WWII. These are the replacements and they are stunning. Enjoy.

By Alfred Manessier.

By Dominique Gutherz.

The light from the window on the wall below.

By Jean Le Moal.

There is a series of these smaller windows denoting the Stations of the Cross.

A longer view of the organ.

Entering the cloister that dates from the 13th century.

Looking back towards the cathedral.

Another surprise is an even older Romanesque church called the Petite-Église or Notre-Dame de Galilée that is on the other side of the cloister. It was much darker inside and noticeably colder.

Photos like this make you realize how good modern cameras are in low light. This was hand held.

A couple of stained glass windows but this was not a church that made you want to linger unless you were feeling dark bitter and twisted and needed to feel justified about it.

Heading back to the cathedral from the dark church.

By Claire de Rougement

It was a real pleasure to visit this cathedral.