Basilica of St. Nazaire and St. Celsus, Carcassonne

Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus
Basilique des Saints Nazaire et Celse
Southern transept of the basilica
Basic information
Location	Carcassonne, Languedoc-Rousillon, France
Geographic coordinates	43°12′19″N 2°21′46″E / 43.20528°N 2.36278°E / 43.20528; 2.36278
Affiliation	Roman Catholicism
Country	France
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Minor basilica
Patron	Saints Nazarius and Celsus
Architectural description
Architectural type	church
Architectural style	Gothic and romanesque

The Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus (French: Basilique des Saints Nazaire et Celse) is a Roman Catholic minor basilicalocated in the citadel of Carcassonne, France. It is a national monument, and is in the Gothic-Romanesque architectural tradition.

The original church is thought to have been constructed in the 6th century during the reign of Theodoric the Great, ruler of the Visigoths.

On 12 June 1096, Pope Urban II visited the town and blessed the building materials for the construction of the cathedral. Construction was completed in the first half of the twelfth century. It was built on the site of a Carolingian cathedral, of which no traces remain. The crypt too, despite its ancient appearance, dates from the new construction.

Around the end of the 13th century, during the rule of kings Philip III, Philip IV, and the episcopates of Pierre de Rochefort and Pierre Rodier, the cathedral was reconstructed in the Gothic style. It remained the cathedral of Carcassonne until 1803, when it lost the title to the present Carcassonne Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne).

The Church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus obtained the status of historical monument in 1840. Around this time, the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc renovated the church along with the rest of the citadel. In 1898, the church was elevated to a minor basilica.