← Back

Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs

Place de la Cathédrale, 1005 Lausanne, Svizzera ★★★★☆ 91 views
Sienna Malone
Lausanne
🏆 AI Trip Planner 2026

Get the free app

Discover the best of Lausanne with Secret World — the AI trip planner with 1M+ destinations. Get personalized itineraries, hidden gems and local tips. Free on iOS & Android.

🧠 AI Itineraries 🎒 Trip Toolkit 🎮 KnowWhere Game 🎧 Audio Guides 📹 Videos
Scan to download iOS / Android
Scan for AppGallery Huawei users

About Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs

Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs - Lausanne | Secret World Trip Planner

Construction of the Cathedral began as early as 1170 by an original unknown master mason. Twenty years later another master mason restarted construction until 1215. Finally a third engineer, Jean Cotereel, completed the majority of the existing cathedral including a porch, and two towers, one of which is the current day belfry. The other tower was never completed. The cathedral was consecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X, Rudolph of Hasbourg, and the bishop of Lausanne at the time, Guillaume of Champvent. The medieval architect Villard de Honnecourt drew the rose window of the south transept in his sketchbook in 1270. The Protestant Reformation, a powerful religious movement which swept down from Zurich, significantly affected the Cathedral. In 1536 a new liturgical area was added to the nave and the colorful decorations inside the Cathedral were covered over. Other major restorations occurred later in the 18th and 19th century which were directed by the great French architect, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. During the 20th century major restorations occurred to restore the painted interior decorations as well as to restore a painted portal on the South side of the Cathedral. New organs were installed in 2003.

Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs - Lausanne | Secret World Trip Planner

Lausanne cathedral – South rose window, keyed diagram The red circles show the twelve labors of the months M-01 = January M-02 = February M-03 = March M-04 = April M-05 = May M-06 = June M-07 = July M-08 = August M-09 = September M-10 = October M-11 = November M-12 = December

and the blue circles show the twelve signs of zodiac Z-01 = Capricorn Z-02 = Aquarius Z-03 = Pisces Z-04 = Aries Z-05 = Taurus Z-06 = Gemini Z-07 = Cancer Z-08 = Leo Z-09 = Virgo Z-10 = Libra Z-11 = Scorpio Z-12 = Sagittarius

Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs - Lausanne | Secret World Trip Planner

and the four green circles show the four seasons, now in clockwise sense: S-01 = Spring (ver) S-02 = Summer (estas) S-03 = Autumn (autumpnus) S-04 = Winter (hyems)

( By Astologyandartt.wordpress.com )

🗺 AI Trip Planner

Plan your visit to Lausanne

Suggested itinerary near Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs

MAJ+
500.000+ travelers worldwide
  1. 🌅
    Morning
    Lausanne Cathedral – labours of the months and zodiac signs
    📍 Lausanne
  2. ☀️
    Afternoon
    The majestic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Lausanne
    📍 0 km · Lausanne
  3. 🌆
    Evening
    Place de la Palud and the old town of Lausanne
    📍 0.2 km · Lausanne

Buy Unique Travel Experiences

Powered by Viator

See more on Viator.com

Explore nearby · Lausanne

Frequently Asked Questions

The south rose window of Lausanne Cathedral features twelve red circles representing the labours of the months, from January through December, which were common artistic themes in medieval cathedrals showing seasonal work activities. These are arranged alongside the twelve zodiac signs in blue circles, creating a beautiful astronomical and agricultural calendar in stone and glass that reflects medieval life and beliefs.
The rose window of the south transept was drawn by the renowned medieval architect Villard de Honnecourt in his sketchbook in 1270, making it one of the cathedral's most documented artistic features. This detailed sketch provides valuable historical evidence of the architectural design and has helped scholars understand medieval cathedral design principles.
Construction of Lausanne Cathedral took over 100 years, beginning in 1170 under an unknown master mason, continuing with a second mason after 20 years, and finally being largely completed by engineer Jean Cotereel who added the porch and two towers. The cathedral was officially consecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X, making it a remarkable achievement of medieval construction spanning multiple generations.
During the Protestant Reformation in 1536, significant changes were made to the cathedral including the addition of a new liturgical area to the nave and the covering over of its colorful interior decorations. This period marked a major shift in how the cathedral was used and decorated, though later restoration efforts in the 18th and 19th centuries by architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc helped recover some of the original painted interior decorations.
Major restorations in the 20th century focused on restoring the painted interior decorations and a painted portal on the south side of the cathedral to recover medieval artistic elements. Most recently, new organs were installed in 2003, ensuring the cathedral remains a fully functional and beautifully maintained religious and cultural landmark for visitors to experience today.