Cathédrale St-Pierre

Frommer's Review

Begun in 1434, this cathedral wasn't finished until the end of the 19th century, but it remained architecturally harmonious -- a rare feat. Two square towers dominate the façade; more impressive is the 100m-long (328-ft.) interior. Its pièce de résistance is Michel Colomb's Renaissance tomb of François II, duc de Bretagne, and his second wife, Marguerite de Foix. Also noteworthy is the tomb of Gen. Juchault de Lamoricière, a Nantes native and a great African campaigner; sculptor Paul Dubois completed the tomb in 1879. After a 1972 fire destroyed the roof, the interior was restored. The white walls and pillars contrast with the rich colors of the stained-glass windows. The crypt, from the 11th century, shelters a museum of religions; at press time it was closed due to terrorist threats.

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