Saint-Pierre Cathedral. St. Pierre Cathedral From the history of St. Peter's Basilica

The chair of the archbishop in Poitiers was founded in the III century, now it is located in St. Peter's Cathedral, the construction of which began in the XII century.

The cathedral began to be erected on the site of the destroyed church of St. Hilary, consecrated in the name of the first bishop of Poitiers. The cathedral was built near the Baptistery of Saint John and the Church of Notre-Dame-la-Grand. The initiator of the construction of the temple was Henry II Plantagenet, he also financed the work from his own funds. Therefore, the church is considered an example of a special architectural trend - Angevin Gothic, also called the Plantagenet style. The difference between this style and, for example, Gothic is the higher vaults.

The Angevin style was used in the construction of the cathedral exactly until the change of royal power - Philip II, who came to power at the end of the 12th century, who had other architectural preferences, continued the construction of the temple in the French Gothic style.

The facade of the cathedral was built in the middle of the XIII century. The tympanum of its central entrance is decorated with a sculptural image of the Judgment Day scene. In the design of the side portals, images of the Virgin Mary and Thomas the Unbeliever were used.

After the French Revolution, the cathedral lost its cathedral status, which was returned to it some time later. The temple has been a National Historic Landmark since 1875.

The apse of the cathedral is decorated with a 12th-century stained-glass window, which depicts a crucifix surrounded by saints and donors (noble persons who sponsored the construction of the temple and the creation of a stained-glass window). Among the donors, Henry II Plantagenet himself is depicted along with his wife Eleonra of Aquitaine. In other sections of the stained-glass window, biblical scenes are laid out: the Ascension of the Lord, the trials of St. Peter and the beheading of the head of the Apostle Paul. Carved antique furniture, a baroque altar made of black marble, and an organ made by master Clicquot in the 18th century have been preserved in the interior of the temple.

The famous St. Peter's Basilica in Geneva is the city's cathedral. There are cultural and historical monuments that never lose their relevance and even through the centuries are full of grandeur and beauty. Such is this Cathedral, which crowns all the other main attractions of Geneva, recommended for inspection.

From the history of St. Peter's Basilica

More than one Christian church and baptistery stood on this very spot in the distant 4th century. The construction of the main city temple proceeded within the framework of more than one historical era: each ruler, architect, townspeople contributed something of their own, characteristic of that time, to the construction. That is why several architectural styles are so surprisingly intertwined in the external appearance of the temple. Among the main dates in the history of St. Peter's Basilica, the following milestones can be distinguished:

• 1160 - the beginning of construction;
• 1310 - completion of construction;
• 1406 - the chapel of the Maccabees was erected;
• 1441 - the northern wall of the nave was seriously damaged;
• 1449 - reconstruction of the damaged wall;
• 1535 - The Council becomes reformatory;
• mid-18th century – a new neoclassical façade was built.

It was St. Peter's Cathedral that became one of the first churches of Calvinism.

Architectural styles in the appearance of the Cathedral of Geneva

All the sights of Switzerland are unique and unusual in their own way, but it was the Geneva Cathedral that so harmoniously managed to combine so many European styles in its architectural appearance.

• The cathedral was originally conceived as a Romanesque building.
• Later it acquires Gothic features.
• With further construction, the temple is supplemented with more and more new elements.
• The massive facade is built in neoclassical style.

The severity of the nave marks the smooth transition of the Cathedral from Catholicism to Protestantism. The building of the Cathedral majestically and solemnly rises above the Old Town and attracts the admiring glances of tourists from different parts of the city.

The interior of the Geneva Cathedral

The interior of the Cathedral, as well as its appearance, will not leave anyone indifferent. Here you can see unique historical relics:

• the Calvin chair is one of the main exhibits of the cathedral;
• you can climb the north tower, which offers an unforgettable panoramic view.

The unique, unusual, solemn and monumental St. Peter's Cathedral in Geneva amazes all tourists with its beauty and majesty. Not to visit it means not to see Switzerland.

After such a rich excursion, you can go to relax in a pre-booked hotel in Geneva. Or, if you are still full of energy, to the picturesque Botanical Garden, where there are places for picnics, and children can run freely on the lawns. On its territory also contain a zoo with endangered species of animals.

St. Peter's Cathedral is not only the main and most famous landmark of Geneva. In the modern form of the cathedral, its entire history is displayed, expressed in an incredible combination of all European architectural styles. The Romanesque church with neoclassical columns is topped by two square towers and a striking green spire. The cathedral is especially impressive at night, illuminated by bright spotlights.

Religious buildings on the site of this temple were erected starting from the 4th century. The construction of today's building began in 1160 and lasted almost 150 years. It began to be built in the Romanesque style, but over time it acquired characteristic Gothic features. During its history, the temple was repeatedly completed and supplemented with new elements. So, in 1406, the Maccobe chapel arose. In the period 1441-1449, the destroyed northern wall of the nave was restored. And in the middle of the 18th century, a new massive facade was erected, designed in the style of classicism.

From 1535 the cathedral became the first of the churches of Calvinism. New elements of the building, which appeared during the Reformation, were more strict, ascetic forms. As a memory of that era, Calvin's chair is kept in the temple. At that time, the "Geneva Bible" was made within the walls of the cathedral - the first translation of the holy book from Latin into English.

Under the Cathedral of St. Peter, excavations of ancient Geneva were carried out, on the site of which a museum was organized. Now there you can wander between the foundations of the age from the III century BC and before the construction of the first temple.

Opening hours: the cathedral operates from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 18:30, on Sunday - from 12:00 to 18:30, in winter the temple closes an hour earlier.
The Archaeological Museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30). Ticket price: tickets to the archaeological museum cost 8 CHF for adults, 4 CHF - reduced. Address: Place Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Geneva. How to get there: The nearest public transport stops are Cathédrale, Molard, Croix-Rouge and Place Neuve. www: Website of St. Peter's Basilica.

The Cathedral of Saint Peter in Geneva (Saint-Pierre Cathedral) is located in the center of Geneva, in the Cité district. The cathedral is one of the most famous and visited sights of the capital of Switzerland. Christian churches and a baptistery have existed on this site since the 4th century. The construction of St. Peter's Cathedral began in 1160 and was completed in 1252. Initially, the temple was built in the Romanesque style, later, in the process of rebuilding and reconstruction, Gothic elements were added. The main building of the temple has a length of 64 meters, in the side aisles there are huge stone blocks - tombstones of church dignitaries of the 15th - 16th centuries. Later, the North and South towers were built, into which you can climb the spiral staircase and admire the views of Geneva from the observation deck. In 1406, the Maccobean chapel was added to the cathedral, the interior of which is decorated with a Gothic-style ornament, in 1407 the Clement bell, the largest of the bells of the cathedral weighing more than 6 tons, was cast and installed. In 1441, the northern wall of the nave was seriously damaged and restored only by 1449. The cathedral was rebuilt several times until the 18th century. In 1752-1756, a neoclassical facade was built according to the design of the architect Benedetto Alfrieri. Today, the building of Saint-Pierre Cathedral is a harmonious mixture of several architectural styles. Until 1535, the cathedral was a Catholic church, but during the Reformation, Catholicism was banned, and the church became Protestant. It was from that time that the temple began to be called St. Peter's Cathedral. The life and work of the church reformer and founder of Calvinism, John Calvin, is closely connected with its history. In 1536 - 1538, within the walls of the cathedral, Calvin lectured on the New Testament, at the same time he wrote a summary of his views on the reformation "Catechism". In the temple and now near the pulpit there is a triangular wooden chair, which is known as the "Calvin chair". The original decoration of the interior of the temple has not been preserved. During the Reformation, altars, statues and icons were destroyed in the cathedral, organs were broken, and wall paintings were covered with whitewash. Only the huge pulpit and colored stained-glass windows have survived. Large-scale restoration work was carried out in the XIX - XX centuries, during which the archaeologist Charles Bonnet carried out excavations in the basement floors of the cathedral. Over the entire period of work, archaeologists have discovered more than 200 levels of buildings, including the protohistorical and Roman periods. Now they are open to the public, the route starts from the 3rd century BC and ends in the 12th century - the time of the construction of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral.

One of the most important sights of the city is the Cathedral of St. Petra, located in the center of the old city of Geneva, on a hill. This cathedral became the center of the Reformation led by Calvin, literally a stronghold of Calvinism. In addition to the cathedral, the Russian church in Geneva is widely known - it is called in French - Eglise Russe.

To make it easier to see the sights of Geneva, you can download - the application has several routes around Geneva, including the new quarters. And geolocation and work completely offline will allow you to read all the descriptions without any problems and find the right thing to watch.

Cathedral of St. Petra

Cathedral of St. Peter, belonging to the Swiss Reformed Church. It is located at the highest point of the city - 404 m above sea level. Presumably, a Roman temple used to stand on this site. The construction of the current building was started in the 12th century, so it looks very eclectic. The cathedral itself is made in the Romanesque style with Gothic elements, and the capitals are made in the style of late Romantic and early Gothic. Towers were added to the cathedral in the thirteenth century. In 1749-56. the former facade of the cathedral was replaced with a portico with six Corinthian columns. The pointed metal tower, green with age, was built around 1895, replacing the old 15th-century bell tower.

The interior of the cathedral is fully consistent with Protestant ideas, so everything is very modest and no frills.

The church is best known as the place where John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation, preached. In the north side nave is the chaise de Calvin, a triangular chair owned by John Calvin.

On the right side of the cathedral in the chapel is the tombstone of Duke Henri de Rohan (1579-1638), the leader of the French Protestants. The monument was erected in 1889.

Under the cathedral began to conduct archaeological excavations, finding many artifacts up to Roman times. From the 8th to the 10th century, this place was one of the three churches of the city. Cathedral of St. Petra appeared on the site of a church dedicated to spiritual ministry and early Christian burial cults.

Protestant Church of St. Petra was formed after an agreement signed by Napoleon in 1803 that granted religious freedom.

Be sure to climb the tower of the cathedral. Admission is 4 francs for adults and 2 francs for children (under 16). At the top, the road forks: you can climb the south tower, but you have to look there through rather dirty windows. So it’s better to go straight to the north tower, from the loggia of which a stunning view of the city, Lake Geneva, the Alps and the Jura Mountains opens up.

In front of the cathedral, on the Cour de Saint-Pierre square, the main events unfold during the December escalade: “troops” gather here under the cannon shots, after which the formations begin. Here, in the evening, all groups of mummers gather, and a huge fire is lit in the center of the square.

Eglise Russe

Russian Church of Geneva. In 1859, many par-Orthodox Russian people finally received permission to build their own church. The main funds were received from Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna, daughter-in-law of Tsar Alexander I and aunt of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who had been living in Geneva for many years.
The place where the church now stands was once a Benedictine abbey, destroyed in the 16th century. The construction of the church lasted 3 years and was completed in 1866.

The architect was Grimm, a professor at the St. Petersburg Academy. The church is made in the Byzantine-Moscow style with gilded onion domes and striped arches. Inside the church there are many icons from the 16th-20th centuries, as well as jewelry donated by the Russian imperial family. Services are held in the church in Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian and other languages.

The surroundings of the church (Les Tranchées) were mostly built up in the 19th century. Many Russians live here who come to Geneva to study. After the fall of the USSR, over 3,000 wealthy new Russians came to Geneva for permanent residence.

• Cathédrale de l´Exaltation de la Sainte Croix; Eglise Russe;
• 18 Rue Beaumont / Rue Toepffer, Geneva 1206
• Lines 1 and 8 to Florissant stop.

Eglise Saint-Germain

Eglise Saint-Germain is one of seven historic churches in Geneva. It was founded in the 13th century on the site of a former temple. Fragments of an altar dating back to the 5th century have been preserved from it. The church was rebuilt after a devastating fire broke out in the old city of Geneva in 1334. In the 15th century it was completely rebuilt (except for the bell tower).

In 1535 a local priest invited Guillaume Farrell to preach in the church. In 1803, following the invasion of the French army, the church returned to Catholic worship.

In 1870, anti-clerical sentiments spread throughout Europe. Wanting to denounce these liberal tendencies, Pope Pius IX was the beginning of a schism among Catholics. In 1873, Saint-Germain was transferred to the Catholic Christian Church in Geneva.
Address: Rue des Granges

Temple de la Fusterie

This church is notable for being the first church built specifically for Calvin's services.

With the repeal of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, a second wave of Protestant refugees arrived in Geneva. Then it was decided to erect the first building intended for Calvinists. The church was opened in 1715, becoming known as the "New Temple", then it was renamed in honor of the square on which it was built.

The baroque facade of the church is decorated at the top with a large clock and a pediment with illustrations of the republican coat of arms, and at the top there is an octagonal metal bell tower. The inner rectangular space of the church is entirely painted white and brightly lit. The only decoration is the clock in front of the pulpit.

The temple is famous for its excellent acoustics, so popular music concerts are held here.

Address: Place de la Fusterie

Temple Saint-Gervais

This church is located in the old quarter of Geneva called Saint Gervais. In the 17th century, watchmakers, engravers, jewelers and blacksmiths lived here. They created an organization called "Fabrique" with the aim of giving personality and a pleasant atmosphere to this area, which operated until the end of the 19th century.

Here the Saint-Gervais temple was built on the site of an ancient sanctuary from the 4th century and a Romanesque church from the 10th century. The last church was set on fire in 1345 and rebuilt in the Gothic style a century later.

When the Reformation came to Geneva in the 16th century, the church became a temple. All ornaments were removed and the walls were painted white. During several restorations, including 1810 and 1845, beautiful old frescoes and paintings were brought back to light.

Address: Rue Terreaux-du-Temple

Basilique de Notre-Dame

This is one of the few Catholic churches in Geneva. The church was built in 1852-57 with the help of the local Catholic community. In 1850, they received permission to build their cathedral, since before that they could only use the church of Saint-Germain, which was visited by about 10 thousand Catholic parishioners.

The basilica was built entirely of sandstone on the site of the Kornavin bastion. The architecture of the building is in the classical Gothic style of the 12th century, inspired by the cathedral. One of the main attractions of the church is the colored stained-glass windows depicting Catholic saints.
Address: Place Cornavin

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