Cathédrale Notre Dame de Laon
In the center of the upper town of Laon is the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, with the Town Hall (1838-1854). The Cathedral of Notre-Dame with its seven towers, built in the 12th-13th C on the site of an earlier church, is one of the finest Early Gothic churches in France and provided the model for other large cathedrals. The west front with its three deeply recessed and richly decorated doorways and its beautiful rose window is flanked by twin towers.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Related Attractions
Laon - Municipal Museum
A little way south of the cathedral is the Municipal Museum (art and archaeology), with a Templar chapel (Romanesque, with a Gothic dome) in the garden. Near the former abbey church of St-Martin (12th-13th C) is the ruined Porte de Soissons (13th C), with a leaning tower.
Laon Notre Dame - Interior
The interior is notable for its old stained glass, its 18th century choir screen and its valuable treasury. There is a beautiful 13th century cloister, accessible from the chapterhouse. Beyond the choir is the former Bishop's Palace, now the Palais de Justice (Law Courts), with the remains of a Gothic cloister. North of the cathedral is the Maison des Arts et Loisirs, a cultural center with a reading room, theater, exhibition room and conference hall.