The Saint-Gatien Cathedral in Tours, dedicated to the city’s first bishop, was built between 1170 and 1547 on the site of an earlier 4th-century church. Standing near the old Loire bridge once guarded by the Château de Tours, it serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Tours and has been listed as a French historical monument since 1862.
The twin towers of Saint-Gatien Cathedral were built in the early 16th century. The north tower was built by Pierre de Valence and the south tower by Pierre Gadier. Rising to 68 and 69 meters, they combine Romanesque bases with Gothic ornamentation, crowned by early Renaissance details.
The cathedral is notable for its remarkable collection of 13th-century stained glass windows . The finest examples are found in the ambulatory chapels and the upper windows of the choir, forming one of the most complete and best-preserved ensembles of medieval medallion glass in Europe.
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