Cathedral of Our Lady of the Bourg

Description

The construction of the Notre-Dame du Bourg cathedral dates from the end of the XNUMXth century beginning of the XNUMXth century. It was carried out in the straight line of a succession of buildings of Christian religion which were established, unique case, on a pagan necropolis.

It was erected on the foundations of a primitive basilica of the 1962th century, in the heart of the ancient city, while the place was already depopulated. Indeed, from the XNUMXth century, the Digne population began to move on the Bellegarde plateau, to better protect themselves from attacks and invasions. The Bourg district was then abandoned in favor of the upper town, sheltered by the bishop's castle. Isolated and unprotected, Notre Dame du Bourg Cathedral suffered looting and degradation. Its use will be gradually reduced from the XNUMXth century to function practically only for funeral ceremonies until the XNUMXth century. While the Saint-Jérôme church located in the new town, the Cité became a substitute building and was recognized as a co-cathedral in XNUMX.
Of Romanesque art with regular fittings in schist, a local material, the Notre-Dame du Bourg cathedral is imposing by its size and its architecture with sober and majestic lines. Its unique barrel-shaped nave underlines its particularity, as do the paintings dated 1480 that adorn it. Excavated by Gabrielle Démians d'Archimbaud, archaeologist and professor of medieval history at the University of Letters and Human Sciences of Aix-en-Provence, it has been restored by Francesco Flavigny, chief architect of historical monuments during the decades 1980-1990. today houses part of the archaeological crypt and a whole liturgical ensemble created by a contemporary artist, David Rabinowitch. Ella has now resumed its place as a cathedral since 1996.

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Labels & accessibility

• Haute Provence members

Adapted tourism

• Accessible for self-propelled wheelchairs