Church of Saint-Jean, Caen
| Church of Saint-Jean | |
|---|---|
Église Saint-Jean de Caen | |
 | |
| 49°10′50″N 0°21′28″W / 49.18056°N 0.35778°W | |
| Location | Caen, Calvados, Normandy |
| Country |  France |
| Denomination | Roman catholic |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Monument historique |
| Designated | 1840 |
| Architectural type | Gothic, renaissance |
| Years built | 15th century–16th century |
The church of Saint-Jean de Caen is the parish church of the Saint-Jean district in Caen, France. It was classified as a historical monument in the list of French historic monuments protected in 1840.[1][2]
The first place of worship, dedicated to the Apostle John, was founded in the seventh century on a Roman road crossing the marshes of the lower valley of the Orne. This axis, connecting Augustodurum (Bayeux) to Noviomagus Lexoviorum (Lisieux), later became rue Exmoisine, now rue Saint-Jean. In 1954–1956, monolithic sarcophagi made of Caen stone were discovered during work in the church. They testify to the probable existence of a small necropolis along the Roman road and an oratory founded nearby. Of this pre-Romanesque sanctuary, nothing remains.
References
- ^ Base Mérimée: Église Saint-Jean, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
- ^ Gervais de La Rue, Essais historiques sur la ville de Caen et son arrondissement, Caen, Poisson, 1820, p. 256.