Just Call Me Dave
Spontaneous Construction
The most "interesting" church we visited, the Toulouse Cathedral is not so much a building as a collection of modifications, renovations and projects in various stages of completion, abandonment or disarray.
The exact date of the original building is unknown; the first mention of a church building on that site is found in a charter of 844. In 1073 the bishop of Toulouse commenced work on a more elaborate structure, followed by additional construction in the 13th century. [source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulouse_Cathedral ]
As you can see from this view, there are multiple building styles. The irregular west front exists because the cathedral consists of two incomplete churches, the first dating from the early 13th century, which includes the rose window from 1230; and the other begun in about 1272, on a new plan and a different axis, which was later abandoned.
Spontaneous Construction
The most "interesting" church we visited, the Toulouse Cathedral is not so much a building as a collection of modifications, renovations and projects in various stages of completion, abandonment or disarray.
The exact date of the original building is unknown; the first mention of a church building on that site is found in a charter of 844. In 1073 the bishop of Toulouse commenced work on a more elaborate structure, followed by additional construction in the 13th century. [source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulouse_Cathedral ]
As you can see from this view, there are multiple building styles. The irregular west front exists because the cathedral consists of two incomplete churches, the first dating from the early 13th century, which includes the rose window from 1230; and the other begun in about 1272, on a new plan and a different axis, which was later abandoned.