Collegiate Church of Notre Dame, Melun

Founded between 1016 and 1031 by King Robert the Pious, who wanted it to house a community of canons, the Collégiale Notre-Dame, with its 50m-long nave, large arcades and high windows is an invaluable record of 11th-century Romanesque art in the Paris Region.

Groin vaults and remarkable Gothic capitals featuring palmettes and sirens were added in the 12th century.
Between 1515 and 1524, the south tower was repaired, while the façade was brought into line with the Renaissance style. The emblem of King François I and the initial of Queen Claude of France were then added to the west side, where they are still visible today.

The building was selected by Prosper Mérimée in 1840 as a monument of national interest, the predecessor to today’s listed historic monuments.
The great sculptor Auguste Rodin fell under the church’s spell and devoted a text to it in 1911 in Les cathédrales de France, describing its door as “infinitely graceful”.

The Collegiate Church of Notre Dame, Melun, is also known for hosting the famous “Melun Diptych”, painted by Jean Fouquet circa 1450.

Discover the Collégiale Notre-Dame de Melun through one of the trail games on the Paris Region Aventures application specially designed for families and available to download free of charge.