Notre-Dame and Saint-Thyrse Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady and Saint Thyrsus, or more familiarly Our Lady of the Apple Trees (a corruption of the word pomoerium, meaning the space between the dwellings and the fortifications), harmoniously blends Romanesque art and Lombard architecture. This building, built from the 12th century onwards, was enlarged by the construction of several side chapels between the end of the 13th and 17th centuries.
The cathedral is the only surviving example of the original episcopal group. The exterior of the complex is dominated by a bell tower comprising a high chapel and topped with a spire erected in the 19th century. The dome tops a cupola and features a gallery adorned with delicate columns. The main portal is framed on the outside by slender columns topped with human, animal, and plant ornaments.
The building houses numerous paintings, the oldest of which date back to the 16th century. The major work is a magnificent altarpiece sculpted by Lalozière in the 17th century and serving as a setting for two canvases by the famous painter Nicolas Mignard. A rich set of walnut stalls with misericords also dates from the 17th century, several sculptures, and an organ installed in the 19th century.

The immediate vicinity of the former Visitation Convent reminds us of the site of the former palace of the bishops of Sisteron. Its 17th-century chapel, decorated with elegant frescoes, is open seasonally.

Details concerning animals : Dogs are tolerated if carried in their owners' arms. No dogs on leashes.