About this place
Perched at the summit of Lausanne's old town, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame is widely regarded as the finest Gothic building in Switzerland, a rival to the great cathedrals of France. Construction began around 1170 and the church was solemnly consecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X in the presence of Emperor Rudolf I of Habsburg. Its most celebrated treasure is the thirteenth-century rose window, roughly eight metres across, a dazzling wheel of stained glass that depicts the medieval vision of the universe, its seasons, elements and signs. The painted portal, once alive with polychrome sculpture, served as the main entrance until the Reformation reshaped the building in 1536. To this day a living tradition endures here: every night a watchman climbs the tower to call out the hours, making Lausanne the last city in Europe to keep this medieval office alive.
Key facts
- 1275 year — Consecrated by Pope Gregory X in the presence of Emperor Rudolf I of Habsburg
- 8 metres — Diameter of the thirteenth-century rose window depicting the medieval cosmos
- 40 tonnes — Weight of the great Fisk organ, holding over 7,000 pipes, the largest instrument in Switzerland
📍 Place de la Cathédrale, 1014, Lausanne