Самое сохранившееся романское здание в Европе The best preserved Romanesque building in Europe

Rating 9110

The former abbey church of Saint-Sernin, this basilica is the only thing left of the monastery. Initially, the basilica was a sanctuary built to store the relics of the saint, the first bishop of Toulouse, who was martyred in 250. Much of the structure is Romanesque in architecture and dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. The basilica is 115 meters long and is built mostly of brick. The most visible part of the basilica is the bell tower, which rises straight up the center. It consists of three levels, of which the lower three, with Romanesque arches, date from the 12th century, and the upper two from the 14th century. The spire was added in the 15th century. Inside the basilica you can see many tombs of saints. And in the center stands an 18th-century canopy behind the altar, under which the relics of St. Sernin are kept.
Another attraction is the large organ of 1888. Together with the organs in Saint-Sulpice in Paris and the Rouen church, this instrument is considered one of the most valuable in the country. There are always a lot of tourists here, as it is one of the must-see places in Toulouse.