The miracle of Saint Bernard according to tradition, Saint Bernard, passing through Sarlat, is said to have performed the miracle of the blessed loaves there.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Create an account
Listed historic monument
Cathédrale Saint-Sacerdos
XIIᵉ–XVIIIᵉ siècles · Sarlat-la-Canéda
Cathédrale Saint-Sacerdos
Sarlat's former cathedral
Create an account
1 / 9
Former Cathédrale Saint-Sacerdos, Sarlat-la-Canéda
Listed historic monument·XIIᵉ–XVIIIᵉ siècles·Mérimée PA00082916
A former Benedictine abbey church made a cathedral in 1317, it blends a 12th-century Romanesque bell tower with a Gothic nave and choir completed in the 17th century. Listed as a Monument Historique (France's national heritage listing) as early as 1840, it commands the medieval heart of Sarlat.
XIIᵉRomanesque bell tower
1317The abbey becomes a cathedral
1685Completion of the nave
1840Listed as a Monument Historique
History
The story, stage by stage
Scroll down to follow the monument's evolution. A one-minute read.
1147
1147Saint Bernard's visit
According to tradition, Saint Bernard performed the miracle of the blessed loaves at Sarlat.
1317
1317Birth of the cathedral
The diocese of Sarlat is created: the former Benedictine abbey becomes a cathedral.
1504
1504The Gothic rebuilding
Bishop Armand de Gontaut-Biron launches the rebuilding; the Romanesque nave is demolished.
1682–1685
1682–1685The completion of the vaults
Under Bishop François de Salignac, the great vaults are finally rebuilt.
1801
1801The end of the diocese
The Concordat abolishes the diocese of Sarlat, which is attached to that of Périgueux.
1840
1840The listing
The former cathedral is Listed as a Monument Historique.
Key figures
The great figures involved
Figure 1 of 3
The places
Explore the building
1 / 3
Did you know?
3 things to remember
An interrupted construction the Romanesque nave is demolished for a Gothic rebuilding whose vaults would not be completed until 1685, nearly a century and a half later.
A deliberate late Gothic rather than adopt the Renaissance style, construction was continued in the Gothic manner, for the sake of consistency.
The site's future
How can we make the cathedral shine?
The former cathedral remains a place of worship, but its Romanesque bell tower and Gothic nave could shine far beyond it. No plan has been settled: it's yours to imagine.
291 habitants ont déjà donné leur avis · la paroisse et la commune s'en saisiront.
Concerts & sacred music
Turn the nave's acoustics into a setting for the organ, choirs and musical residencies.
173 votes
Climbing the Romanesque bell tower
Open up the ascent of the 12th-century bell tower to offer a panorama over the rooftops of Sarlat.
124 votes
A stonework training worksite
Stone-carving and stained-glass workshops open to residents and young people.
58 votes
A pilgrims' rest on the Camino
A welcome for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela in the building's outbuildings.
41 votes
Another idea for this place?Propose your vision: it will be put to the vote and passed on to the town.
Create an account
Questions
The questions we get asked
Does Sarlat still have a bishop?
No. The diocese of Sarlat, created in 1317, was abolished by the Concordat in 1801 and merged into Périgueux. The building keeps the name of cathedral, but it is a former one.
Why does the cathedral mix Romanesque and Gothic?
The porch tower is what remains of the twelfth-century Romanesque abbey church. The Romanesque nave was demolished in 1504 for a Gothic rebuilding whose great vaults were only completed in 1685.
Who was Saint Sacerdos?
A bishop of Limoges who died around 720, whose relics were moved to the monastery of Sarlat in the Middle Ages. His cult officially replaced that of the Saviour there in 1122, and the relics vanished during the Wars of Religion.
Is the organ original?
It dates from 1752 and was built by Jean-François Lépine, then only seventeen years old. Restored between 2001 and 2005, it regained its original four-keyboard layout and is still played at services and concerts.
4,3· 4 avis de visiteurs
V
Visiteur
Septembre 2026
V
Visiteur
Septembre 2026
M
Monika
Août 2026 · Visite virtuelle
L'authenticité
H
Hans
Août 2026 · Visite virtuelle
Vous avez visité ce lieu ?
Share your experience with future visitors.
An email is all it takes to publish, no password.
Vous avez visité ce lieu ?
Share your experience with future visitors.
Just an email, no password.
Create an account
Map & access
Getting there
Support this monument
Support Cathedral proejct
Every donation directly funds the upkeep and restoration of this monument.
Secure donation on dons.fondationdefrance.org · opens in a new tab
Nearby
Other monuments in Sarlat-la-Canéda
ListedPrivate mansion · XVIᵉ s.
Maison de La Boétie
A Renaissance mansion built around 1520-1525, birthplace of the writer Étienne de La Boétie, the friend of Montaigne.
ListedReligious building · XIVᵉ–XVᵉ s.
Église Sainte-Marie
A Gothic church consecrated in 1507, transformed in 2001 by Jean Nouvel into a covered market with monumental steel doors.
Rate this building4,3 · 4 reviews