The Saint-Denis Cathedral, also known as the Cathédrale Saint-Denis de Saint-Denis de La Réunion, stands as a prominent Roman Catholic cathedral in Saint-Denis, the capital of the island of Reunion. Dedicated to Saint Denis, the cathedral serves as the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Saint-Denis-de-La Réunion and remains a significant landmark in the French overseas department.
The history of the current building began with the plans of an engineer called Paradis. The first foundation stone was laid on 4 November 1829 by the governor of Penfentenyo on the site of a church that had existed there since the 18th century. It was consecrated as a cathedral in 1860 by Monsignor Maupoint, the bishop of Saint-Denis de La Réunion.
The cathedral reached its final form in 1863 with the construction of the western porch in the prostyle style and the addition of a bell tower. Its historical importance was officially recognized on 13 October 1975, when the whole building was registered as a monument historique. The grounds also hold a somber piece of history, as politician Alexis de Villeneuve was shot dead in a crowd gathered just outside the cathedral on 25 May 1946.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Mutabor
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