--- title: "Cathédrale Saint-Lazare d’Autun: Gislebertus and Capitals" description: "Romanesque cathedral begun about 1120, its Last Judgement portal signed by Gislebertus. Treasury open April to October. Private driver from Beaune." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/cathedrale-saint-lazare-autun lang: en updated: 2026-09-30 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/cathedrale-saint-lazare-autun.png --- # Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun (Cathédrale Saint-Lazare d’Autun) > Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun: a Romanesque cathedral whose Last Judgement portal, signed by the sculptor Gislebertus, survived under plaster. Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun is in Autun (Saône-et-Loire), 48 min by road (54 km) from Beaune. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours · Private driver from Beaune: €165 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. Autun's cathedral rises over the upper town, crowned by a tall 15th-century stone spire. It holds some of the finest Romanesque sculpture in Burgundy, much of it attributed to the sculptor Gislebertus. Its treasury, opened after a long restoration, lets you see original 12th-century carved capitals at eye level. ## Key facts - Type: Abbeys & churches - Where: Autun · Saône-et-Loire - Location: 40 km west of Beaune · Saône-et-Loire - Coordinates: 46.9450, 4.2990 - 48 min from Beaune - Allow 1 to 1.5 hours - Autun - Official website: [autun-tourisme.com](https://www.autun-tourisme.com/decouvrez/patrimoine-sacre/cathedrale-saint-lazare/) - From Beaune: ≈ 48 min · 54 km - €165 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 48 min by road (54 km), €165 one way for the whole car. Coming by train or plane? [Transfers from stations and airports](https://www.cote-privee.com/transfers) Estimates per vehicle for up to 4 guests, tolls included. Your price is confirmed when you book. ## History Bishop Étienne de Bâgé began the church around 1120 to house relics believed to be those of Lazarus, which had reached Autun in the 10th century. Pilgrims came in such numbers that the old cathedral of Saint-Nazaire could no longer cope. The relics were moved into the new church in the 1140s, and Saint-Lazare later became the city's only cathedral. Its plan and pointed barrel vaults follow the model of Cluny and Paray-le-Monial. In the 15th century Cardinal Jean Rolin, son of the chancellor Nicolas Rolin, replaced a bell tower struck by lightning with the present spire. In 1766 the canons, who disliked medieval art, destroyed a side portal and the tomb of Saint Lazarus, and covered the great tympanum with plaster. That coating protected it during the Revolution. It was uncovered in the 19th century, and the head of Christ, kept in the museum next door, was only put back in 1948. ## What you will see Start under the porch with the Last Judgement tympanum: Christ in a huge mandorla, the weighing of souls, and the words Gislebertus hoc fecit carved at his feet. Around it run the signs of the zodiac and the labours of the months. Inside, carved capitals crown the pillars of the nave. Upstairs in the treasury, the old chapter library displays original capitals removed during 19th-century repairs, including the Flight into Egypt and the Hanging of Judas. ## Planning your visit The cathedral is a working church, so visits pause during services. The treasury and its room of capitals open from April to October, with a limited number of visitors at a time; check the official website for opening times. Facing the cathedral, the Espace Gislebertus uses digital displays to explain the city's heritage. Wear flat shoes for the steep lanes of the upper town. ## Did you know? After a side portal was pulled down in 1766, its carved lintel of Eve ended up in a house wall. Found in the 19th century, it belongs to the Musée Rolin, closed for expansion with reopening planned for 2030. ## Around Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun What to combine with Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Maranges](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/maranges) (27 km away): Three villages on the last slopes of the Côte de Beaune, sharing one appellation for bright, fruity reds. ### Châteaux - [Château de Sully](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-sully) (15 km away): A moated Renaissance château where Marshal Mac-Mahon was born, still home to his family. - [Château de Morlet](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-morlet) (16 km away): A fortified manor near Épinac with a striking Renaissance gatehouse of 1584. - [Château d’Épinac](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-d-epinac) (17 km away): Nicolas Rolin's castle above the Drée valley, which gave its name to the town of Épinac. ### Things to do - [Remparts d’Autun et tour des Ursulines](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/remparts-d-autun-tour-des-ursulines) (1 km away): Six kilometres of Roman walls, two thirds still standing, ending at a medieval tower crowned by the Virgin. - [Couhard Stone (Pierre de Couhard)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/pierre-de-couhard-autun), 1 km away: A mysterious Roman pyramid on the hillside above Autun, with a wide view over the town. - [Roman Theatre of Autun (Théâtre romain d’Autun)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/theatre-romain-autun), 1 km away: One of the largest theatres of Roman Gaul, still used for performances on summer nights. ## Questions about Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun ### How far is Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun from Beaune? Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun is about 48 min from Beaune by road (54 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €165 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun take? For the visit, allow 1 to 1.5 hours. ### When is Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun open? Opening days and times change during the year, so check the official website (autun-tourisme.com) before you go. Your driver can plan the day around them. ### Can a private driver take us to Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you visit and plans the rest of the day with you. The driver speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. → [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:stlazare): €165 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - - - - - --- Canonical page: