Rouen is the historical capital city of Normandy. It was in Rouen where Joan of Arc was burnt in 1431. There are many beautiful and interesting sites in this city, including the modern church built to honor Joan of Arc (the form of the building represents the pyre on which Joan of Arc was burnt.), the Gros Horloge (astronomical clock dating back to the16th century), the Rouen Cathedral (the subject of a series of paintings by Claude Monet, some of which are exhibited in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris), the Parlement of Normandy, and many more art and history museums.

The Rouen Cathedral is where Richard the Lionheart's heart is buried in a tomb. It also has the tallest spire in France, which is called the Butter Tower because the local townspeople sold butter to raise money to build it. This cathedral was severely damaged during World War II in 1944. It took some direct hits, but those hits narrowly missed key pillars, so the famous cathedral was spared. The original church next to the site where Joan of Arc was burned was not so lucky. It was completely destroyed; therefore, a new, modern church was built in its place. This unique church uses building techniques to represent both fire and fish, two things the city is known for.

The movie below shows the inside of the Church of Joan of Arc in a little more detail.