Cathédrale Saint-Corentin

The Cathédrale Saint-Corentin dominates the old centre of Quimper, capital of the Finistère department in western Brittany. Its twin openwork spires rise above the rooftops and the river Odet, and they are the symbol of the city, seen from every direction. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Quimper and Léon, and its dedication to Saint Corentin recalls the legendary first bishop of Cornouaille, who in tradition lived on the miraculous flesh of a single fish that regrew each time he cut a piece, and who advised the legendary King Gradlon.

Construction began in 1239 under Bishop Raynaud, replacing an earlier Romanesque church, and continued over nearly two centuries. The choir was largely finished by 1410, and the nave and the base of the western towers followed in the first half of the fifteenth century. The style is Breton Gothic, which draws on the northern French model but has a local severity and a restrained use of ornament. The architectural curiosity is that the choir is slightly out of line with the nave, bending to one side, an effect that is often explained as a symbol of Christ's head inclined on the cross, although the true reason may be the difficulty of the site.

The spires were not built in the Middle Ages. The towers stayed unfinished until the nineteenth century, when the architect Joseph Bigot completed them with pierced stone spires in the 1850s, and an equestrian statue of King Gradlon was installed between them. Bigot also restored the interior and replaced stained glass lost in the Revolution. A later campaign of restoration, between 1989 and 1999, revealed the original fifteenth-century decoration, including ribs of the vaults painted in ochre colours. Inside, the stained glass, the carved capitals and the altars offer plenty to see, and the light is excellent on a bright morning.

The cathedral is open daily, though hours change and may include a closure at midday, so check beforehand. As a living church it holds services, and visitors should be discreet. Allow one to two hours for the interior and the exterior, including the cloister and the square around it, which has a lively market on certain days.

It suits architecture lovers, those who follow Breton history and travellers who want a landmark in Quimper. Nearby are the Musée Départemental Breton, in the former bishop's palace, the Musée de la Faïence and the faïencerie, where the famous Quimper pottery is made, and the Place de la Cathédrale.