Tréguier - Cathédrale Saint-Tugdual

The Welsh monk Saint Tugdual (of Tréguier) founded a monastery here in 535. Soon later Saint Tugdual was named "Bishop", though this may have been rather an "Abbot", as it took Tréguier to 848 to became a real bishopric. Soon after the Normans invaded the area, looted and ravaged the church and the town around, so that for decades there was no Bishop here. Around 970 the building of a new Romanesque cathedral started, of which only some pillars and the left tower still exist. Strange that this tower is named "Tour Hasting" after the leader of the Norman troops, who had destroyed the town a century ago. The cathedral may have been completed around 1100.

Work on today's Gothic building began in 1339 and lasted until the middle of the 15th century. The southern transept tower with its pierced top was not completed until 1785.

During the French Revolution, the diocese of Tréguier was dissolved.
The cathedral was sacked by of revolutionaries and converted into a horse stable.

In 1801 it returned to being a place of worship. The cathedral was restored and Prosper Mérimée took an active part in the cathedral's rebuilding process.

As Saint Tugdual is one of the seven founding saints of Brittany, who all came from Britain, Tréguier is one stage of the "Tro Breizh" a pilgrimage, known since the 13th century, linking the towns of the seven saints.

Here is even a votiv ship, floating in sea of other votivs.