The Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene in Vézelay is a a former French abbey church dating from the 12th century, located in Vézelay in the Yonne department, in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. An important center of Christianity in the Middle Ages, it is a major stop on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
Built between 1120 and 1140, it is a a prime example of Romanesque architecture and, more broadly, of Burgundian Romanesque art. The inner tympanum of the narthex, depicting Christ in glory, is one of its most remarkable features. Rebuilt at the end of the 12th century, the choir is in the Gothic style, which increases the building’s brightness and reinforces the symbolism of divine light. The visitor’s journey, from the narthex to the nave and then to the choir, follows a progression from darkness toward ever-increasing light. Every year, during the summer solstice, the stained-glass windows on the south side project a line of points of light onto the center of the nave.
Restored beginning in 1840 under the direction of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the basilica was designated one of the first historic monuments as early as 1840. It was then added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
