Cathédrale St-Pierre, Geneva

Side view of Geneva's Cathédrale St-Pierre. Photo by Daniel.

The Neoclassical facade of Geneva's cathedral was added in 1750.
For all views, see our Geneva Cathedral Photo Gallery.

Tower and spire of the cathedral with the Auditoire de Calvin (right).

Interior of the Cathédrale St-Pierre.

Remains of a mural.

Romanesque carved capitals.

Misericord featuring a lion.

"Calvin's Chair" in Geneval Cathedral.

The Cathedral of St. Peter in Geneva is best known as the church where John Calvin gave his inspiring sermons during the mid-16th century. The imposing Romanesque-Gothic church with a Neoclassical facade still dominates the center of the international Swiss city.

History

The site of St. Peter's Cathedral has been occupied at least since the 4th century, which you can see for yourself by touring the interesting archaeological site underneath (more on this below).

Construction on Geneva's cathedral began in 1160 and lasted 150 years, by which time the towering Romanesque cathedral had acquired Gothic accents. The Chapelle des Macchabees was added in 1397.

The Catholic cathedral of St. Peter became a Protestant church in 1536. John Calvin preached here from 1536 to 1564, and the cathedral became the guiding center of Protestantism. Like reformers all over Europe, Calvin's followers stripped Geneva's cathedral of its altars, statues, paintings and furniture. Only the stained glass windows remained.

The Gothic façade of the cathedral was replaced with the present Neoclassical one in 1750.

What to See

The exterior of Geneva's cathedral exhibits a strange confusion of styles — it's a squat Romanesque church with a museum-like Neoclassical facade; the two dissimilar square towers above the east end have a curious greenish steeple between them (added in the late 19th century).

For many visitors, one of the main highlights of St. Peter's Cathedral is the breathtaking panoramic view of the Geneva once you have climbed the 157 steps of the narrow winding staircase of the north tower. The entrance is at the left of the far end of the nave.

The austerity of the nave reflects its 1536 conversion from a Catholic cathedral to a Protestant church. Calvin's followers smashed all the altars, statues, icons and the organ, and whitewashed over the frescoes on the wall.

Only the stained glass of the chancel somehow survived the fervant battle against idolatry and religious distraction. Also surviving are magnificent Romanesque carved capitals on the pillars, which include gargoyles and a double-tailed mermaid.

Protestant worship services are conducted at the same pulpit from which Calvin had declaimed for hours on end against idolatrie. Sermons are significantly more moderate these days, but amid the soaring austerity and the singing of old hymns, one can still feel the texture of an important history stretching back 450 years.

In the back of the church, near the door for the North Tower, is what is said to be Calvin's chair.

Don't miss the interesting Chapel of the Maccabees, to the right of the main entrance. After the Reformation, the 15th-century Gothic chapel was used as a warehouse and then as a lecture hall. In 1878, it was rededicated as a place of worship and lavishly decorated, in contrast with the rest of the cathedral. The vaults of the chancel within the chapel bear copies of the only 15th-century frescoes to survive the Reformation, depicting angels playing musical instruments.

Beneath the cathedral is a very important archeological site (click for separate article and photos) that has revealed artifacts from the arrival of Christianity to the 11th century. It was discovered underneath the Cathédrale St-Pierre when its foundations began to falter in 1976.

Archaeologists have so far found multiple layers of history at the site, including remnants of two 4th-century Christian sanctuaries, mosaic floors from the late Roman Empire, portions of three early churches, and an 11th-century crypt. The first Romanesque cathedral on the site was built in 1000.

Quick Facts

Names:	Cathédrale St-Pierre; St. Peter's Cathedral; Geneva Cathedral
Type of site:	Former cathedral; Protestant church
Faith:	Reformed Christianity
Dates:	1160-1310
Architecture:	Romanesque with Gothic details and Neoclassical facade
Address:	Cours St-Pierre 6, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Location:	Place St. Pierre (At the highest point in the Old Town)
Phone:	+41 (0)22 311 75 75
Hours:	June-Sept., Mon.-Sat. 9:30-6:30, Sun. noon-6:30; Oct.-May, Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5.
Cost:	Free admission to the cathedral. North tower: 3 SF.

Map

Below is a location map and aerial view of the Cathedral of Geneva. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Geneva Map or get our free Google Earth download.

Sources

Personal visit (December 23, 2006)
The Rough Guide to Switzerland
Cathédrale St-Pierre – Fodor's Online Travel Guide
La Cathédrale St Pierre - WGuides