Cathedrale de Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul

Highly cohesive and beautiful on the inside and out, the Cathedral of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul is one of the most well-known structures in France and is 114 meters in length and 28.5 meters in height. This is due to its elegance and the caliber of its sculptures, paintings, and tapestries; most notably, it is 1,500 m2 of stained-glass windows.

The Tree of Jesse (dating from around 1500), Linard Gonthier's Mystic Wine Press (1625), and other notable pieces by this renowned master stained-glass craftsman from Troyes (1565-1642) are on show in the nave.

Things to do at the Cathedral of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul:

• Draw inferences if you find this critically acclaimed beauty and its deviation from the picture-perfect definition:

The cathedral was never finished and was constructed over several centuries. If you come in person, you can witness this for yourself.

Depending on your preference, it may be compared to a one-eyed or one-armed cathedral handed down to us today.

But the cathedral's 'disability' also contributes to its charm and distinction.

• Celebrate the exceptional glasswork that adorns this site and gauge the dedication to craft:

With more than 1,500 square meters of painted glasswork, the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Troyes is known to have one of the most beautiful collections of stained glass windows in France (the equivalent of approximately six tennis courts). The 13th-century stained glass windows in the choir depict Mary, Saint John, numerous Bible stories, and historical personalities.

• Browse the versatile treasure collection, however, that it is home to.

According to experts, it is one of the top four treasures in France. The famed significant organs and the carved wooden choir stalls from the Clairvaux abbey date back to the 18th century (18th century).

Among the gems in the collection is an 11th-century Byzantine purple ivory box. One of the items taken from Constantinople during the Crusades in 1204 was this one.

The treasure trove includes a magnificent collection of medieval enamel objects in addition to the shrine to Saint Bernard, which contains remains of the spiritual founder of the Knights Templar (his skull and a femur).

European pilgrims travel from all over the continent to worship and meditate in front of the remains of Clairvaux Abbey's founder.

The chalice, crosier, and pastoral ring of Monseigneur Hervée, the cathedral's first bishop, are among the other priceless artifacts that have been carefully preserved.

• Learn about how this site contributed to social and cultural advancements;

The 'Honteux Traité de Troyes' (the shameful treaty of Troyes), which gave Henry V of England the French throne, was signed in the cathedral in 1420.

An inscription at the base of the tower states that on July 10, 1429, at this exact location, Joan of Arc won the city's support for the young Charles VII to drive the English out of France.

Denis Bolori, an Italian-born watchmaker from Troyes, went off the tower here in 1536 in an attempt to fly. He was wearing a set of articulated wings, which kept him airborne for several minutes before he crashed 1 km to the east at Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres.