Abbatiale+St-Ouen

=Abbatiale St-Ouen=

Established in the seventh century, Abbatiale St-Ouen, a lot like the Rouen Cathedral, is a Gothic Roman Catholic Church known for its beautiful architecture. Abbatiale St-Ouen is known for its beautiful stained glass, flying buttresses and jewel accents. There are white frosted glass panels lining the walls which makes the church brighter than a usual Gothic building. There are three towers located in Abbatiale St-Ouen that look over the city and three church bells as well. The four-manual pipe organ, built in 1890, is considered to be the most important organ in France. The organ remains unaltered and one of the few that still has its original sound.

Abbatiale St-Ouen cemetery was where Joan of Arc was taken on May 23, 1431. She was sentenced to be burned at the stake unless she recanted. She was then sentenced to life in prison. A week later she was burned at the stake on the opposite end of Rouen. The stained glass windows in Abbatiale St-Ouen have a great deal of history. They were removed during WWII and put back later to preserve them. The glass shows Gothic rosettes, pictures of the crucifixion and figures from the Old Testament.

Today, visitors can still go in Abbatiale St-Ouen and look around. They can learn about the amazing building and all of its beautiful accents. The church is open from 10-12:30 and 2 to 5 pm Saturday through Thursday. The church no longer functions as a religious building. It is now used for concerts and exhibitions. If you are lucky, your visit may coincide with one of the organ concerts featuring their world famous Cavaille-Coll organ.