Description
Come (re)discover Lille Cathedral, a skillful blend of Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, and contemporary styles.
Carefully designed signage and a heritage exhibit featuring a scale model accompanied by a timeline will help you explore its rich and eventful history.
A wild dream, Lille Cathedral was conceived by wealthy 19th-century industrialists from Lille, who entrusted the project to architect Charles LEROY.
At that time, they wished to to build the most beautiful and perfect church in the 13th-century Gothic style, to house the ancient statue of Notre-Dame de la Treille, the city’s benevolent patron saint since its founding. The cornerstone was blessed on July 1, 1854. The final stone was laid in 1999.
A long-term project, the “Treille,” as it is called, follows in the footsteps of its predecessors in this regard. The construction, largely spearheaded by the eminent Cardinal LIENART, faced many setbacks that required compromises and sacrifices.
The last cathedral of the 20th century, a blend of traditional techniques and cutting-edge technology, it is home to a vibrant, prayerful community. As the mother church of a young diocese, a sanctuary, and a basilica, the Notre-Dame de la Treille Cathedral hosts the major events in the life of the Church of the North, as well as major cultural events, and welcomes the prayers of ordinary passersby.
