Saint-Sernin Basilica, Toulouse
This is the largest remaining Romanesque church in the world. Saint-Sernin basilica located in Toulouse, France was built during the Romanesque Period between 1080 and 1120.
The Basilica of Saint Sernin is notable for its imposing architecture and important medieval sculptures and frescoes. It is worth visiting for the exterior brickwork, the two crypts, the tympanum over the main door depicting Christ’s ascension, and the 800 sculpted column heads.
Above the portal there are five arches with decorative stone moldings. A tiny arched window sits at the topmost arc of the rose window.
The church is very long, tall and wide with two aisles on each side of the nave. The central nave is barrel vaulted, the four aisles have rib vaults and are supported by buttresses. The crypt has two levels, the lower one with ribbed vaulting is of the 14C. The upper crypt is more Romanesque and contains the most celebrated relics.
History: The first Bishop of Toulouse was Saturninus , who in 250 met a violent death for refusing to worship pagan gods. His body was secretly buried and eventually he became a cult figure with a church to honor him built in the location of today’s basilica. In 1860, Viollet-le-Duc restored the church, but his changes are currently being removed to restore the original appearance.
