Saint-Vaast Old Abbey, Arras
The huge 18th century abbey church became the new cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras in 1804. It replaced the old Gothic cathedral Notre-Dame-en-Cité in the west of the city which was destroyed, and since 1825 the vast monastery buildings of the abbey have housed the Arras Fine Arts Museum.
About this building
The former abbey of Saint-Vaast has a quadrangular plan. It is entered through a courtyard surrounded by three rectangular buildings and a portal, before entering the cloister surrounded by four rectangular buildings. The cloister is covered by a series of veil vaults separated by double arches that are supported by double Corinthian columns. The portal has two levels of elevation, the entrance is under a semicircular arch surrounded by two Corinthian columns. It is surmounted on the second elevation level by a triangular pediment. The portal is framed by walls supported by pilasters.
