Rouen Cathedral

Rouen Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen) is a major Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral in the historic centre of Rouen, Normandy. Initial construction began in the 12th century and the building was developed across the medieval period into the 16th century.

The exterior is notable for its richly sculpted west façade and tall spire, which reaches about 151 metres. Inside, visitors see a long nave, stained glass windows, and a range of medieval funerary monuments and tombs. The cathedral’s façade was the subject of Claude Monet’s multi-view series in the 1890s.

Construction took place over several centuries, with major phases in the 12th to 16th centuries; later restorations followed damage from fire, weathering and wartime bombing. The cathedral has been altered and restored repeatedly, including significant 19th-century works that shaped its present silhouette.

The church stands in central Rouen on the right bank of the Seine, within the city’s historic core and close to other landmarks such as the Gros Horloge. Rouen lies roughly northwest of Paris and is the principal city of the Normandy region.

• Spire height: The cathedral's spire reaches roughly 151 metres, making it one of France's tallest church towers.
• Monet series: Claude Monet painted a famous series of the cathedral's west façade in the early 1890s, highlighting changes in light and atmosphere across many canvases.

What to See #

• West façade: The late Gothic west façade and portals date from successive medieval building campaigns and are the cathedral's most photographed exterior features.
• Tour de Beurre (Butter Tower): A late Gothic tower commonly called the Butter Tower was funded by indulgences in the early 16th century and forms a distinct decorative corner of the structure.
• Spire: The spire rises to about 151 metres and sits above the crossing; it dominated the Rouen skyline after a 19th-century reconstruction and at times was the tallest building in France.
• Crypt and tombs: Beneath the current church is a crypt and earlier masonry remains from preceding construction phases; the interior contains medieval tombs and funerary monuments.