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Rouen (about 110000 inhabitants), is the historical capital of Normandy, the capital of the department of Seine-Maritime, it's little more than 80 km from Le Havre and from the coast of the Channel and only 130 km from Paris, it's crossed by Senna. Called "the city with 100 towers," he kept a first-artistic heritage, including the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the abbey of Saint-Ouen, the church of Saint-Maclou and the Palace of Justice, all major examples of Gothic art. While Gros Horloge, the aître of Saint-Maclou, the Hotel de Bourgtheroulde representing the Renaissance art. Rouen is a beautiful city really a human measure, thanks to the historic centre completely pedestrian is a pleasure lost yourself in walking its streets lined with beautiful wooden houses.

Main attractions of Rouen: Among the monuments the first place is attributable to the Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the highest in France (151 meters), located in the historic centre, it was built starting in 1145, its work lasted for several centuries, it represents, in most aspects, the evolution of Gothic. The silhouette of this cathedral has become famous thanks to the works of impressionist painter Claude Monet, who often immortalized it in his paintings. Inside are wonderful stained glass windows, the tombs of the Dukes of Normandy, including that of Richard the Lionheart and the monumental mausoleum of the Cardinals d'Amboise, by Rouland Le Roux. Not to be missed during the summer evenings, the spectacle of the facade of the cathedral illuminated with colors inspired by the paintings by Claude Monet. In front of the cathedral is the building of the Office of Finance, the oldest Renaissance buildings of Rouen (sixteenth century), home of the Tourism Office.

The street that start in front the facade of the cathedral goes at Gros Horloge, an astronomical clock of the 14th century, consists of a Gothic bell tower and a Renaissance arc. A short distance from the cathedral square is the Palais de Justice (Palace of Justice), an ancient seat of Parliament of Normandy, this building is without doubt one of the most important civil works of the late Middle Ages. Under the courtyard of the Palais de Justice is the Romanesque building of Monument Juif or Maison Sublime (monument of the Jews), the oldest Jewish house of France, currently closed to the public.

From here we reach the place du Vieux Marche (Old Market Square), place of historical memories, it was in this square that during the War of the Hundred Years, on May 30 1431, Joan of Arc was burned alive. There is also the church of Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc (St. Joan of Arc), modern building, built on the site of martyrdom, the wax museum of Joan of Arc and the museum of the dramatist Pierre Corneille, with an important library. In a nearby street is the magnificent Gothic Renaissance palace /Hôtel/ de Bourgtheroulde.

To make towards the Tower of Joan of Arc, the only rest of the castle where Joan was imprisoned, we find a number of museums: the Museum des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) with rich collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures between whose paintings by Caravaggio, Velàzquez, Géricault, Modigliani, Monet and Sisley. The musée de la Ceramique (museum of ceramics) with an important collection of ceramics and porcelain. The musée de la Seq des Tournelles, dedicated to the art of wrought iron. It is located nearby the Renaissance church of Saint-Patrice with beautiful stained glass windows and the Museum of Antiquities collections with Egyptian, Greek, Gallo-Roman archaeology and medieval Merovingian, furniture and tapestries of the Renaissance.

We finally head to Abbatiale Saint-Ouen (collegiate church of Saint-Ouen), which was one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries of Normandy, are witness to this period its majestic size, building immense in wonderful Gothic style, whose work began in 1318 to be terminated only in the fifteenth century.

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