History of the cloister of Fréjus cathedral

Built in the 13th century, the cloister, along with the episcopal palace (5th-16th centuries), the cathedral (5th-16th century) and the baptistery (5th century), one of the main elements forming the Fréjus cathedral group. Restored between 1920 and 1932, it represents a remarkable witness to the medieval history of Provence.

Sixteen centuries of history

The origins...

Built between the 5th and 16th centuries on the site of the ancient city of Fréjus, the cathedral complex comprises four buildings : the episcopal palace (now the town hall), the cathedral, the baptistery and the canonical complex, of which the cloister is an integral part.

The cloister was a passageway serving the various buildings. It was not a place of meditation.

The first evidence of the presence of a Christian community in Fréjus dates back to the Council of Valence in 374. However, it was not until the 5th century that the cathedral complex appeared with its current characteristic architecture.

The Fréjus baptistery is one of the oldest in France. It dates back to the 5th century, as evidenced by the archaeological digs that have been carried out on the site.

Legend has it that the very first cathedral was built by Léonce, Bishop of Fréjus, who is said to have been responsible for the establishment of Honorat and monasticism on the island of Lérins, near Cannes.

The Episcopal group was erected on a remarkable site in Fréjus, at the junction of two ancient axes, and its initial layout also respects that of ancient town planning.

Before the 13th century, the bishops of Fréjus did not have the means to undertake major modifications to the cathedral complex. This is probably why they were able to preserve what they could not replace, and why these testimonies to the past can be admired today.

Cathédrale Saint-Léonce de Fréjus, cloître
© Philippe Berthé / Centre des monuments nationaux

In the 13th century, the cloister...

The canonical buildings were built following disputes between the bishop of Fréjus and the chapter of canons over the distribution of seigneurial rights. In 1180, arbitration separated the property of the two partners. From then on, the canons needed buildings to house and store the goods (mainly cereals and wine) that made up the bulk of their income. They chose to settle to the north of the cathedral, in an area then used as a cemetery.

There were four canonical buildings : the provost's building , the chapter house , the attic and the cellar. They are arranged around a cloister, an enclosed space that was largely open to the public, who used its galleries to gain access to the cathedral. The Fréjus cloister was therefore not a silent place dedicated to prayer.

In its original state, the cloister consisted of just four ground-floor galleries, covered with groin vaults or ogives . The ceiling you can see today dates from the mid-14th century. The need to access the various living areas on the first floor led to the construction of high galleries, which were accessed by an imposing two-flight staircase built against the building to the north.

The painted ceilings of the cloister, an exceptional example of medieval art

Painted decoration covered the ceilings of the lower galleries and part of the walls. What remains today is striking : wooden planks (called closoirs) that make up a medieval painted ceiling remarkable for its iconography.

Cathédrale Saint-Léonce de Fréjus, cloître, plafond
© Philippe Berthé / Centre des monuments nationaux

Changes after the Revolution

The canonical complex underwent a number of transformations during the French Revolution. It was auctioned off as national property in 1793 to private individuals.

The space between the columns of the cloister was walled off to convert the galleries into living quarters and build a third floor.

In the 19th century, the architects of historic monuments warned of the dilapidated state of the cloister and the need for restoration. In 1854, Prosper Mérimée pointed out the existence and interest of "the two galleries partially visible in the tangle of buildings that forms the adjoining block to the north of the cathedral". The cloister was listed as a historic monument in 1862. The purchase of the cloister by the State began in 1892 and was completed in 1920. The restoration work begun in 1921 restored the cloister to its original volume.

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