Rouen Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Rouen)

At 151 meters, Rouen Cathedral boasts the tallest church spire in France and was the tallest building in the entire world from 1876 to 1880, until Cologne Cathedral was completed. The current cast-iron spire replaced earlier wooden spires that were repeatedly destroyed by lightning, including one struck in 1822.

The cathedral houses the heart of Richard the Lionheart, King of England and Duke of Normandy, who requested it be deposited here 'in memory of his love for Normandy' when he died in 1199. His body was buried separately at Fontevraud Abbey, while his entrails were interred at Châlus where he fell in battle.

Claude Monet painted approximately 30 canvases of the cathedral's western façade during 1892-1893, working from the second floor of what was then a lingerie shop across the square. Remarkably, Monet only entered the cathedral for the first time AFTER completing his entire series, having focused solely on capturing the changing light on the exterior.

The Tour de Beurre (Butter Tower) got its unusual name from the 'butter tax' - wealthy medieval citizens paid this special fee to be allowed to consume dairy products including butter during Lent, when such foods were normally forbidden. The funds collected from this indulgence financed much of the tower's construction beginning in 1483.

Joan of Arc's rehabilitation trial, which cleared her name 25 years after her execution, took place at this cathedral. On November 7, 1455, her mother Isabelle Romée delivered a formal petition here, and on July 7, 1456, after hearing 115 witnesses, the court declared the original 1431 trial invalid and nullified all charges against Joan.