We toured the cathedral in Laon, also called the Cathedrale Notre Dame.  Located on the top of a large hill and overlooking the vast valley below, one can see the church from a great distance.  As with the church in Noyon the current building sits on the same ground of previous churches, beginning in 497 when the diocese was founded.  A Carolingian cathedral replaced the original building, which was in turn replaced by the current structure begun in 1160.  It is famous for its five towers – two on either side of the west front, one over each transept, and a fifth tower over the crossing.  The west front towers start out as a square shape in the lower levels, then transform into octagonal shapes.  Much loved are the stone oxen that extend from the sides of the towers.  They are there to acknowledge the contribution of the oxen who pulled heavy carts of stone and building material to the top of the of this very big hill.

Inside, the nave is incredibly tall and offers a “gothic” feel. Even though we still see a mixture of semi-circular and pointed arches, the inside is filled with light and delicacy.  The eastern wall has, unusually for France, a flat end with a large window, adding to the amount of light that enters.