About Eleanor of Aquitaine and Saint Peter’s Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers) in Poitiers:
Much of the history of the Saint Peter’s Cathedral centers around Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of history’s most interesting women. Eleanor of Aquitane was the heiress of the House of Poitiers, which controlled much of southwestern France, and was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages (a time of great change and creativity in Europe that generally lasted from 1000 AD to 1300 AD).
Eleanor of Aquitaine was Duchess of Aquitaine from 1137 to 1204, then Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, and then Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of King Henry II. It was during her reign that construction of the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers was undertaken.
She died on April 1, 1204 and is buried in Fontevraud Abbey, Fontevraud.
About Saint Peter’s Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers) in Poitiers, France:
Construction of the Cathedral began in 1162 by King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Cathedral was built on the ruins of what had been a Roman basilica. It was finally completed by the end of the 12th century. It is the best known example of a hall church of the Angevin Gothic style. It consists of a nave flanked on either side by an aisle.
One of the features is The Crucifixion Window, which depicts Eleanor of Aquitaine and her husband, Henry II, along with four of their sons.
Commissioned by the couple between 1165 and 1170, the window is located in the choir of the cathedral and is a notable example of Romanesque stained glass and considered one of the earliest stained glass windows in western France.
Traveling to Saint Peter’s Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers) in Poitiers, France:
Address: 1 Rue Sainte-Croix, 86000 Poitiers, France
Tel: +33 5 49 41 23 76
Click here for the official website of the Saint Pierre Cathedral in Poitiers, France.