|
 |
Pyrénées-Orientales
A brief history...
Former capital of the Roussillon, built on a Roman opidium in the 8th century BC, Elne was used to monitor movement between the Languedoc and Catalonia. An episcopal city from 568 to 1602, the XIth century was marked by the construction of a fortress-cathedral in keeping with its political and spiritual influence before being succeeded by Perpignan.
|
| |
The cloisters
|
Romanesque treasures
Sainte-Eulalie cathedral originally had a symmetrical facade until one of its towers was destroyed. It is based on a basilical plan: a single vast nave without a transept, covered first in wood then vaulted with stone, and finished by an apse and two apsidioles in a 1/4 spherical dome. There is a noteworthy architectural feature: the Romanesque stonemasons used ancient optical techniques to accentuate the perspectives. Look carefully and you will see that the face of the pillars slopes outwards and the nave's cornice is not horizontal! The arches supporting it rise above large arcades as you move away from the chancel.
The cathedral
|
|
 |
On the south wall, the cloister is a chef d'oeuvre of Roussillon art and one of the finest in France. Built over three centuries, its unity comes from the blue-veined white marble and the romanesque archways supported by pairs of pillars with decorated capitals showing griffons, mermaids, lions, rams and personalities from Genesis.
|
|
|
|
Reception
Office du Tourisme
2, rue du Dr Bolte
66200 Elne
Phone: 04 68 22 05 07
Website: www.ot-elne.fr
|
Visiting times
Cloisters
phone: 04 68 22 70 90
Open daily (except 01/01, 01/05, 01/11, 25/12)
from 1st November to 31st March: 9.30-11.45 am and 2-4.45 pm.
From 1st April to 31st May: 9.30-5.45 pm.
From 1st June to 30th September : 9.30 am - 6.45 pm.
Oct. : 9.30 am - 12.15 pm and 2 - 5.45 pm
Museum
Phone: 04 68 22 88 88
Same times as the cloister, opening at10 am.
|
|
|
|
| |
Special events:
"Les Sillons de l'histoire" (retracing history): half-day in the archaeological, medieval and modern Elne every Wednesday and Thursday from April to September. Leave the cloister at 10 am.
Access:
14 km from Perpignan by the N 114 to Collioure.
|
|
Detail from the cloisters |
|
Romanesque art
