St. Stephen's Cathedral at Sens (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Sens)

The Cathedral of St Étienne (Saint Stephen) at Sens, one of the earliest Gothic buildings in France, was begun in 1140 and belongs mainly to the 12th century, but was not complete until early in the 16th century. The architect who completed it, William of Sens, went on to rebuild the choir of Canterbury Cathedral in England – the link being Thomas Becket, who had previously spent several years in exile around Sens. The story of Thomas's murder is told in the twelfth-century windows in the north aisle of the choir, just part of the cathedral's outstanding collection of stained glass.