Orange, France's Peculiar Cathedral

Step into the oddball history of a French cathedral, now a Temple to the Goddess of Reason, once served as a Bishop's domain. Witness its transformation during the French Revolution, and then, a royal visit.

In the heart of Orange, France, resides the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth, first built in the 4th century, rebuilt in the 12th in Romanesque style. Its consecration in 1208 was graced by the presence of Guillaume des Baux, the Prince of Orange. For centuries, the cathedral served as the Bishopric of Orange. But during the French Revolution, it underwent a peculiar metamorphosis into a Temple of the Goddess of Reason. Fast forward to July 4th, 1957, and we see Queen Elizabeth II paying a visit to this peculiar establishment. She returned on the 7th of the same month, adding to her peculiar dance with this peculiar cathedral.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Orange, France's Peculiar Cathedral: A Dance Between Priest and Goddess

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