Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun (Cathédrale Saint-Lazare d’Autun)
A Romanesque cathedral whose Last Judgement portal, signed by the sculptor Gislebertus, survived under plaster.
- Abbey or church
- 48 min from Beaune
- Allow 1 to 1.5 hours
- Autun
€165one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- autun-tourisme.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 48 min by road (54 km), €165 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
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.
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.
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.
Planning your visit
Tips for 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.
Around here
What to combine with Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
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.
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.
Sources
Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun with a private driver
€165 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests