museums - cathedral - abbey - senlis : Senlis Tourism Office

An exceptional architectural and cultural heritage

Senlis presents in the heart of the forests an exceptional architectural and cultural heritage. Its 40 ha preserved area is especially valued by film-directors.

Come and discover all the riches of the ancient city of Sulbanectes occupied by and named Augustomagus by the Romans, which they protected in the III century with a 4m thick wall flanked by 30 towers, the main part of which still exists today.

This Gallo-Roman wall forms a tight circle around picturesque narrow streets, vestiges of the royal chateau, where the Kings of France lived, the Saint-Maurice Priory, constructed close to the royal palace in XIII century on the request of the holy king Louis, Notre-Dame cathedral (XII - XVI centuries) marked by four centuries of transformations presenting all aspects of Gothic art, the Saint-Frambourg Chapel built in about 1170...

Four museums with large and original collections: paintings and Gallo-Roman vestiges at the museum of Art and Archaeology, history and architecture at the museum of the Hôtel de Vermandois, military traditions at the Spahi museum and the art of hunting at the Hunting museum.

The art and archaeology museum and the Hotel de Vermandois museum are closed because of works for an 18-month period (since 15 June 2007).

In XII century Philippe Auguste protected the city by means of ramparts. Mediaeval fortifications (XIII - XVI centuries) offer a lovely walk around the city along the Nonette River.

In XVII and XVIII centuries, the city officials had remarkable private mansions built behind a monumental gate. Numerous religious communities settled in Senlis : "la Charité", the Capuchins, Carmelites, "la Présentation", close to the Saint-Vincent Abbey, founded by the Queen of France Anne de Kiev, in about 1060.

Old Saint-Pierre Church (XI - XVII) currently hosts cultural events.

Outside of the walls, there is a unique site in Picardy, the Gallo-Roman arenas erected in the 1st century.

With respect to nature, the ecological park offers a pleasant walk around ornamental lakes, where it is possible to appreciate the diversity of fauna and flora.