Geneva Through the Centuries:

15th Century

St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva in the 15th century

The cathedral, its adjoining cloister, and the new Maccabees Chapel once housed numerous altars and chapels. The choir concealed its treasures behind a rood screen. In the 16th century, the Reformation stripped the building of its ornamental objects. Painted decorations were whitewashed, and only the stained-glass windows, the choir stalls, and the capitals were spared. This tour offers an unusual perspective on the cathedral, a symbol of Catholic Geneva under Pope Felix V in the 15th century: a polychrome Saint Peter, shimmering with its colors and ornaments. This journey back to the late Middle Ages lets you discover the cathedral’s splendor and richness before the Reformation.