CATHÉDRALE SAINT NAZAIRE ET SAINT CELSE

The Saint-Nazaire and Saint Celse Cathedral in Béziers is the city's largest Gothic monument. The cathedral is built in the western part of the old mediaeval city on a hill overlooking the Orb plain spread below. It is one of the “symbols” of the city, visible from afar because of its high position, particularly when you enter Béziers on the road from Narbonne. Construction began in the 10th century and it was entirely rebuilt in the 12th century. In 1209, during the bloody seizure of the city by crusaders from the Ile de France, a fire in the cathedral split the vaults “like a grenade”! Its reconstruction continued until the 15th century. Below the cloister, the bishop's palace garden offers visitors a haven of peace. The garden has a magnificent panoramic view that takes in the Orb plain, the bridges (Pont-Vieux dating from the 13th century, Pont-Neuf and the Pont-Canal aqueduct) and the incredible Écluses de Fonseranes (Fonseranes Locks).

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