Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Moulins
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Moulins – The Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Annonciation de Moulins (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Moulins) is the principal church of Moulins in central France and the seat of the Bishop of Moulins. Originally built in the 15th century in Flamboyant Gothic style under the patronage of the Dukes of Bourbon, the cathedral was elevated to cathedral status in 1823. The building is particularly celebrated for housing one of the greatest masterpieces of French medieval painting: the Moulins Triptych (c. 1498-1499), attributed to the enigmatic Master of Moulins (believed by many to be Jean Hey). This extraordinary altarpiece depicts the Virgin in Glory surrounded by angels, with the donors (likely Duke Pierre II of Bourbon and his wife Anne of France) and saints in the side panels, representing the pinnacle of late 15th-century French painting. The cathedral also features beautiful stained glass windows, including a remarkable Tree of Jesse window, choir stalls, and a treasury with precious liturgical objects. The Cathédrale de Moulins is particularly renowned for the Moulins Triptych, one of the supreme achievements of French Renaissance painting; its Flamboyant Gothic architecture; and its association with the Bourbon dynasty.
