Saint-André Tower, Rouen: history and visit

The Tour Saint-André, in Rouen

The Tour Saint-André is an isolated Gothic bell tower, a vestige of a former church, which recalls the nickname of Rouen, the town of a hundred bell towers. The Rouen audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this witness of the rich religious past of the Norman town.

The bell tower of the town of a hundred bell towers

Friends, it is therefore Rouen, the town of old streets, of old towers, the town of a hundred bell towers chiming in the air, wrote Victor Hugo. The Tour Saint-André illustrates wonderfully this famous nickname. This elegant tower of flamboyant Gothic style is in reality the surviving bell tower of a former church, the church of Saint-André, demolished over time. It stands today, isolated, in the midst of the modern town, testifying to the extraordinary number of religious buildings that Rouen once counted, one of the largest and richest towns of the kingdom in the Middle Ages. Richly adorned with pinnacles, gargoyles and sculpted motifs, the tower recalls the know-how of the builders and the religious fervour of the era. A precious vestige of the medieval heritage and a symbol of the town of a hundred bell towers, the Tour Saint-André is an interesting stop of the discovery of Rouen.

What to see

You admire the elegant tower of flamboyant Gothic style, the surviving bell tower of the former demolished church of Saint-André, standing isolated in the heart of the town, adorned with pinnacles, gargoyles and sculpted motifs, which illustrates the nickname of Rouen, the town of a hundred bell towers dear to Victor Hugo. The Tour Saint-André is a precious vestige of Rouen. It is a stop to be discovered, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Tour Saint-André lies in the heart of Rouen, reachable on foot. It is an open-air monument, freely visible from the street. You discover it during a walk in the centre.

What is the Tour Saint-André in Rouen?

The surviving bell tower of a former church, the church of Saint-André, demolished over time; this flamboyant Gothic tower, isolated in the heart of the town, illustrates the nickname of Rouen, the town of a hundred bell towers, celebrated by Victor Hugo.