As the former capital of France during the time of the kingdom of the Franks, the town of Soissons has retained a rich religious heritage from the medieval era. Discover it through its main monuments, which are:
The Gothic Cathedral of St. Gervais and St. Protais, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, is superb with its transept's north and south arms, deambulatory with five radiant chapels, wrought iron choir enclosure and painting of the Adoration of the Shepherds by the artist Rubens;
Remarkable remains of the old Abbey of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes, founded in 1076 by Lord Hugues le Blanc, can still be seen today, including the impressive and dizzying façade of the abbey church, topped by two tall towers, the 13th-century refectory, and the two galleries of the Gothic cloister;
The old Abbey of St. Leger, founded in 1139, whose buildings are now home to the Soissons Museum. Nowadays collections relating to local history, archaeology and the Fine Arts are on display there.
