Notre-Dame de Besançon church

A blend of former religious grounds and modern university facilities, the Church of Notre-Dame in Besançon has grown and changed multiple times over the centuries. On the far left, you can spot the remains of the old Saint-Vincent Abbey, founded in the 11th century. Back then, this modest place of worship was a major centre of learning for the region. After the French Revolution, the site kept its religious role and eventually became the Church of Notre-Dame in Besançon. At the centre stands a bell tower dating from the 16th century. It might not look especially tall by today’s standards, but it was once the highest structure of its kind in the city. Finally, over on the far right, you’ll see the entrance to the cloister and the surrounding buildings, which now house the university library and several classrooms of the Besançon campus.