Eglise Sainte Croix (Holy Cross Church), Tours

Eglise Sainte Croix (Holy Cross Church), Tours

The Sainte-Croix church in Tours is a historic monument, listed on December 19, 1939. Set in the Old Town, between rue de Châteauneuf to the South and rue Henri-Royer to the West, this 13th-century edifice was built on the site of an even older monastery, founded in the 6th century by Sainte Radegonde, wife of Merovingian King Clotaire I.

The design follows the pattern generally adopted by Christian churches of the period – choir to the east and nave to the west. It has a single span nave, a transept and a choir. The cross of the transept and the choir are narrower than the nave. The nave's vault, of Western Gothic style, rests on Romanesque piles. The western facade changed significantly in the 15th century following the construction of an adjacent building.

The northern part of the transept, vaulted with a semicircular cradle, is connected to the cross of the transept by a large semicircular opening. It is extended to the east by a chapel, covered with a so-called Angevin vault, featuring the same style as that of the nave. The choir, terminated by a flat apse, is only lit by two windows on the northern side.

With the exception of its south facade, floors and internal partitions, the building represents a historic heritage. The rectory, adjacent to the north gutter wall of its nave, is also listed as a historic monument.

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Eglise Sainte Croix (Holy Cross Church) on Map

Sight Name: Eglise Sainte Croix (Holy Cross Church)
Sight Location: Tours, France (See walking tours in Tours)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Tours, France

Create Your Own Walk in Tours

Create Your Own Walk in Tours

Creating your own self-guided walk in Tours is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Tours Old Town Walk

Tours Old Town Walk

Having successfully preserved much of its historic heritage, Tours is particularly famous for its original medieval district – Vieux Tours. The bulk of it is concentrated around three squares: Place du Grand Marché, Place Plumereau and Place de Chateauneuf.

A stroll through the Old Town, day or night, offers many delights, and is best started at Place Plumereau. Lined with wood-framed,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tours Introduction Walking Tour

Tours Introduction Walking Tour

The Roman Emperor Augustus named the city Caesarodunum (Hill of Caesar). But it was always Tours. Caesar left the Tours Ampitheatre, the largest amphitheater of the Empire. It's good to be Caesar.

Tours is located on the River Loire. It stands between Orleans and the Atlantic shore. It is famous for the Battle of Tours in 732 CE when Spanish Moors led by Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi was...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Historical Churches

Historical Churches

The French city of Tours is forever linked to the Battle of Tours, a pivotal event in European history. Taking place in 732 AD, this momentous encounter saw the Frankish leader Charles Martel, a devout Christian, successfully repel a substantial army of Spanish Moors, thus effectively halting the Muslim advance and ensuring the preservation of Christianity throughout Western Europe.

Had it...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles