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The surrounding district of Saint-Jean in Caen was badly bombed during World War II. Most of l'église Saint-Jean had to be rebuilt but, fortunately, it was possible to restore it.
The fine Flamboyant Gothic building was begun in the 14th century, and repaired in the 15th century. The bell tower, of which the base and first story are 14th century, was inspired by the tower of nearby church, St-Pierre, but owing to the instability of the marshy ground which had already caused some subsidence, the spire and the belfry were never built, nor was the central tower. The lower courses of the second story were capped with a dome.
In the interior the same subsidence is visible in the pillars. The vast nave has a remarkable Flamboyant triforium and a highly ornate cylindrical lantern tower over the transept crossing.
The highly venerated statue of Notre-Dame-de-Protection dates from the 17th century.
