Laon Cathedral | Changes to the choir since the 18th century

Since the Middle Ages, Laon cathedral has featured a juxtaposition of highly differentiated sacred spaces. It is the diocese's main church, where people come to venerate the Virgin and the relics of Saint Génébaud, the city's first bishop. But it is also the pilgrims' church, and above all the building of the bishop and the chapter.

Until the 18th century, the choir was completely closed to the faithful. A stone fence and the rood screen prevented profane people from entering. But in 1772, the clergy decided to change the cathedral's liturgical arrangements and designed a new decoration. The rood screen was demolished, the stone fences around the sanctuary were pulled down and gilded wrought-iron railings were installed.

However, this new decoration, inspired by Baroque aesthetics, completely disappeared during the French Revolution. All that remains is the tomb of Cardinal de Rochechouart, the last bishop of Laon, who died in 1777 and is buried behind the high altar. The current choir screen, gilded with fine gold, comes from the Célestins convent in Villeneuve-Saint-Germain. At the end of the 19th century, to meet the new demands of modern liturgy, Émile Boeswillwald reorganised the choir in the neo-Gothic style. The altar was finally installed in 1912.