Nevers Cathedral

Nevers Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Nevers) is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Nevers, Nièvre, France, and dedicated to Saints Cyricus and Julitta. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Nevers. It is a national monument. The cathedral was designated a basilica in the mid-19th century and as a Monument Historique in 1862. The origins of the cathedral date as early as the Roman period. The remains of a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Janus were discovered around 1904 at the foot of the building. The diocese was established in Nevers in 517, with the construction of the first building dedicated to Saints Gervais and Protais. At that time, the city's footprint remained limited, and the building's orientation would have placed the entrance opposite the political center, on the side facing the ramparts. The building's chancel also faced west due to the need to establish a presence on the pagan site without turning its back on the city. By the end of the 8th century, the building was in very poor condition.