Arles: St-Trophime
Church of the first bishop of Arles
Dedicated to the first bishop of Arles Saint Trophimus who came from Rome in the early 3rd century A.D. to Christianise the area. The first church was destroyed but reconstructed rebuilt twice – once during the Carolingian and again during the Medieval. Moreover, it was also the starting point of the Via Tolosana to Toulouse which joined other routes leading to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
A masterpiece of Provençal Romanesque
This former cathedral of Arles is now clear of scaffolding again following a major renovation. This involved restoring St Trophime’s outstanding carved doorway (see image at the top) which over the years had weathered badly. This is a masterpiece of Provençal Romanesque art and is on the UNESCO world heritage list.
Don’t miss the Cloisters here – experts considered them the best in Provence!
See St-Trophime’s spectacular carved doorway on a video clip here.