France: Church of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe
The town is Le Puy-en-Velay. 269 steps lead up to a rock ledge on top of a mountain of volcanic originChurch of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe.
Originally there was a chapel built here in 961 in the Carolingian style - a square chapel with three apses; it was later converted into the choir of a Romanesque church. This church was added to the chapel in the 12th century and occupied the entire remaining part of the rock. Its builders had to adapt to the terrain, and therefore the church turned out to be almost oval in plan. The capitals of the load-bearing columns and even the façade of the church are replete with reliefs.
There is almost no detailed historical information on the Internet.
The chapel was built in 962 on the ruins of the ancient Roman temple of the god Mercury. In subsequent times, the chapel, built on an almost 100-meter rock (82 meters high to be precise), located in the middle of the town, was rebuilt several times, and now Le Puy is an-Vele often acts as a starting point for the so-called. “Christian tourism” - pilgrimage to the famous Santiago de Compostela in Spain. To get to the chapel, you need to overcome 268 fairly steep steps.
This is how Catherine Benzoni describes this place in her novel:
“Puy-en-Velay! The city spread like a gigantic multi-colored stream from the portico of the magnificent Romanesque church with its crown of turrets and domes. Catherine and brother Eusebius contemplated this amazing sight that opened before their eyes for some time. Catherine's amazed gaze passed from the holy hill, the ancient Moi Ani, standing out against the blue sky, to the huge rock standing nearby, and then to the nearby volcanic peak of Saint-Michel-d'Aiguil, which, like a finger, was proudly directed into the heavens and is crowned by a small chapel. Everything in this strange city seemed to serve God. Everything came from him and returned to him... Passing through the gate and heading towards the city center, the travelers were amazed by the bright decoration of the bustle that reigned here. Banners and pennants fluttered from the roofs of houses, and long strips of colored silk and tapestries hung from windows facing the street. Catherine was surprised to see a group of Scottish riflemen making their way through the crowd.
“The city is celebrating something,” said Brother Eusebius, who had been silent all day, “but what?”
Catherine remained silent. She felt that there was no need to answer him, but still called out to the boy running past with a jug on the way to the source.
- What do all these banners, silk panels and all this fuss mean?
The boy looked at Catherine with brown eyes, sparkling cheerfully on his lively, freckled face, and politely flashed his green hat.
“Our lord the king entered the city the day before yesterday along with Madame the Queen and the entire court to pray to Our Lady and spend Easter here before going to Vienne, where the Estates General are meeting. It will be difficult for you to find a home. All the hotels are full because Monsignor Constable is due to arrive today...
- The King and the Constable? - asked Catherine in surprise. - But they are in a quarrel!
- Exactly! Our king has chosen the cathedral as the place where he intends to regain his favor again. They will hold Easter vigils together today.
- Do the pilgrims gather here to travel to Kompostsla?
- Yes, dear lady. The hospice house near the cathedral is full of them. You need to hurry if you want to join them.
- All pilgrims are equipped in the shop of Master Krause. You can buy the most durable and best made clothes from him...
“Thank you,” Catherine interrupted, noticing that Brother Eusebius’s usually expressionless eyes were fixed on her with curiosity. “We need to go to find shelter.”
Where is: in the town of Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne.
Price issue: 3 euros
City website
Website "Pilgrimage to the Holy Cities of France"
What to look at: The small church of Saint-Michel is one of the oldest in all of France. But it’s not its age that makes it special, but the fact that it towers above the city at an altitude of 85 meters. To reach it, parishioners and tourists are forced to climb steps carved into the volcanic formation. Having reached the foot, you can take a look at almost the entire small town of Le Puy-en-Velay, in the center of which there is a chapel. And in 1429, Joan of Arc's mother, Isabelle Romee, came here to pray for her daughter.
The history of the city of Le Puy-en-Velay is closely connected with Christianity. The appearance of the Virgin Mary took place here. In 430 AD here, on the site of a former pagan settlement, the first church was built. Then the pilgrimage began.
The city lies in a valley in which spiky rocks of volcanic origin rise here and there. Until now, residents firmly believe in healing powers volcanic stone. But the main thing in the city, of course, are the three monumental buildings towering above the city. This is the Church of St. Michael, built on the rock d’Aiguille, the bell tower of the cathedral and a huge pink statue of Our Lady, cast from Russian cannons taken “captive” after one of the French victories in the Crimean War.
The Church of Saint-Michel was built in 962 to commemorate the return of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle from the pilgrimage. In 950 AD. local bishop Gotescalque led the first pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela from Le Puy. The journey was successful, the bishop returned and, in honor of this event, built the chapel of St. Michael on d’Egile. Subsequently, Le Puy served for a long time as one of the four starting points for pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela.
The chapel has preserved ancient capitals and several frescoes.
The second attraction of the city is Cathedral, located in the center of Le Puy-en-Velay. Its appearance is unusual: it is neither a purely Romanesque church nor a Gothic one, but a mixture of Byzantine and Moorish styles. Main entrance the temple is located in the middle of the nave - in other words, the visitor enters immediately into the center of the cathedral, and from below, as if from underground. This is due to the fact that the cathedral is built on a mountain, and to enter it you have to climb an endless staircase. The cathedral houses a statue of Saint James - the same one to whom pilgrims go to Santiago de Compostela. Near this statue there is a separate door, the inscription above which informs that this is the exit to the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
To the right of the Church of Saint-Michel is the former church of the Abbey of Saint-Etienne. Today La Neuf serves as a location cultural center. Most The building is occupied by the city library.
Under the arches of the church there is also the François Rude Museum, where casts of the works of this Dijon sculptor are displayed. Entrance here is free (door on the right). 
At the end of the hall is a bas-relief of the Marseillaise from the Parisian Arc de Triomphe. 
Sculpture of Napoleon. 
Dijon theater- a witness to centuries of history: the Sainte-Chapelle chapel once stood here. 
But at the beginning of the 19th century, the architect Jacques Celerier built a building in its place in a neoclassical style that was unusually fashionable for that time. 
On Liberation Square there is Magnin Museum(musée Magnin). 
The Magnin Museum owes its appearance to two passionate collectors - brother and sister Maurice and Jeanne Magnin, who collected an impressive number of paintings, drawings and sculptures from the 16th to 19th centuries.
Portrait of Jeanne Magnin. 
The exhibits were purchased by them in the period from 1881 to 1935 at public auctions. 
The Magnins did not chase big names, but looked for the most representative works for a particular era, so when viewing the gallery it is very interesting to follow the development of European art over the centuries. 
Maurice and Jeanne placed their treasures in the 17th-century Hôtel Lantin, which their grandfather bought in 1829. By the will of the brother and sister, the entire collection went to the state after their death.
The museum's holdings include more than two thousand works of art made by Italian and French masters, as well as representatives of the northern regions of Europe. 
Not far from Liberation Square there is Palace of Justice(Palais de Justice, former Palais du Parlement). 
The building was originally built for the Burgundian Parliament in the 16th century. The palace contains the Hall of St. Louis with the majestic Chapel of the Holy Spirit and the “Golden Room” - a public meeting room. 
The architect of the project was Hugues Sambin, who personally decorated the facade and carved the wooden entrance door. In 1571 the façade of the building and the Parliament Hall were completed. 
If you take a walk around the Palais de Justice you can see and admire the facades of private mansions and residences typical of the quarter where members of the Dijon Parliament lived. 
Gained the greatest fame mansion of Legus de Gerland on rue Vauban: it attracts attention with its graceful façade, semicircular courtyard inspired by the architecture of the Place Royale, as well as amazing watchtowers. The gate to the mansion is guarded by stone lions. 
St. John's Church, located on Place Bossuet, is one of the oldest churches in the city, built between 1448 and 1470. Characterized by spacious choirs and two high towers, this church was a striking example of the architecture of the times of the Grand Dukes. 
The church, converted in 1974, today houses the Théâtre Dijon-Bourgogne, a national center for dramatic arts. 
The statue of Jacques Bénigne Bossuet, Bishop of Meaux, is erected on the site of the ruined apse of the Church of St. John, traces of which can still be seen. 
There is a church nearby Saint Philibert(Église Saint-Philibert de Dijon) - the former parish temple of winemakers. 
Until the Great French Revolution, elections for the mayor of the city took place under its arches. In the middle of the 12th century, the church was reconstructed in the best traditions of Romanesque architecture of Burgundy. During the Revolution, the temple served as a stable and then as a salt warehouse. In the 20th century, the church was restored and used as an exhibition area, but after the installation of a heating system, the walls of the church were hopelessly damaged by the development of fungus resulting from prolonged contact with salt, and it had to be closed again in 1979. 
Despite the interesting and unusual facade of the Notre Dame church, it made a strong impression on me Cathedral of Saint Benin(Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon) with a magnificent multi-colored roof, characteristic of Flemish architecture. 
Inside the cathedral is full of light. 
The cathedral was built on the site of an old monastery church built in 1001, which in turn was also built on the ruins of a previous church built in 511 and dedicated to St. George. 
The crypt has been preserved from the old monastery church - a true masterpiece of the Burgundian Romanesque style. 
It was here that the remains of Saint Benin were supposedly located. 
Adjacent to the left side of the cathedral is a building that belongs to the monastery that was once located here. Now there is an archaeological museum here. 
Continuing to follow the Owl through the Sainte-Anna quarter (rue Sainte-Anna), we reached Carmelite chapels. The Carmelite Order was the first women's religious association to appear in the city in 1605, during a period of increasing religious tension between Catholics and Protestants. The chapel, whose construction was completed in 1642, is made in a style typical of the Counter-Reformation. This is the only building of its kind preserved in the city. 
Former Bernardine St. Anne's Church.
The majestic church of St. Anne made of white stone was built in the 18th century. It was one of the most beautiful churches in Dijon, made in an unusual style for this city. architectural style baroque. Once upon a time the dome of the temple was made of copper, but the metal was influenced environment oxidized and acquired a beautiful gray-green color. 
Today it contains Museum of Sacred Art.
Wooden figurines of the Madonna are also kept here, but the earliest, as we remember, is in Notre Damme. 
The remaining buildings and the courtyard of the former Carmelite monastery belong to the Museum of Burgundian Life. 
Garden named after Jean de Berbize. 
Until now, we have obediently followed the owl's prompts. Therefore, when the owl unexpectedly deviated from the old city towards the railway bridge, we trustingly followed it.
Very soon we were near Natural History Museum.
And behind the entrance grate, a Botanical Garden of Arquebus with an area of 5 hectares. Pleasant atmosphere, shady alleys. 
The garden was designed in 1773 by Benigne Legus Gerland (remember his house and courtyard with a royal square?) and laid out on this site in 1833. 
Just look at how many varieties of Pinot Noir grapes there are! 
It was here, in the vineyard, that we met our old friend - the Burgundy snail! 
The garden consists of three parts: in the eastern part there is a garden in a predominantly traditional style with flower beds, lawns and bowling grounds, in the western part there is an arboretum in the English style, and in the center there is a botanical garden. 
Each year, Botanical Garden officials send out more than 6,000 seed packets covering the entire species. 
By the way, in the Arquebuse garden in 1878, grape phylloxera appeared for the first time in the Côte d’Or department. The pest attacked the grape bushes and destroyed the Burgundy vineyards!
Along the alleys of the garden, conducive to leisurely walks, amazing discoveries await you: the “Temple of Love” gazebo (by the way, while we were in the garden, there were many installations on the theme of love),
Castle and Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel (Normandy region)
The Chateau Saint-Michel is one of the most charming attractions France. Mont-Saint-Michel was once a center of pilgrimage for monks who dreamed of visiting here to venerate Saint Michael.
However, not all righteous pilgrim-monks managed to get to the majestic 80-meter rock, separated from the land by water at high tide.
Medieval pilgrims faced death in quicksand or death from rising tides. Natural disasters have claimed many lives. The first buildings appeared here in the 8th century. According to legend, Bishop Aubert of Avranches in 708, at the behest of the Archangel Michael, built a chapel on the rock, which later collapsed.
In the 10th century, a Benedictine abbey was founded here, and in the 11th century, work began on the construction of a new Romanesque church. Gradually new buildings were erected around it. Over the centuries, they were rebuilt several times in Romanesque and Gothic styles, and a fortification system was created around the abbey.
This religious site was never home to more than 40 monks until the Revolution, when the abbey's buildings were requisitioned and turned into a prison. In 1966, exactly one thousand years after the founding of the Benedictine Monastery by Duke Richard I, the monks returned to Mont Saint-Michel. And today a small monastic community lives here, following the traditions established by the Benedictines in 966.
For many years now castle saint michel(the mountain) is not an island in the truest sense of the word. Today Mont Saint-Michel is connected to the mainland by a dam along which an asphalt road runs. Due to the dam preventing the waves from rising, the bay began to gradually become polluted. In the near future, it is planned to destroy the dam, to replace which a pedestrian bridge. This will make it possible not only to easily control the number of tourists, but will also help prevent pollution of the bay, while Mont Saint-Michel will remain an island as before.
Abbey of Mont Saint Michel
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is architectural ensemble, at the head of which there is a church topped with a spire with a figurine of the Archangel Michael and a Gothic monastery complex known since 1228 as “La Merville” (the hall of the knights, the refectory, the covered arcade and cellars). It can be seen from all points of the strait, but as soon as you get closer, it begins to inspire fear.
Here's what Maupassant wrote about this: “I reached the large rock on which stands Small town with an outstanding church. Walking up a steep, narrow street, I entered the most remarkable Gothic building that was ever made for God on this earth. The building is as vast as the city, full of rooms with low ceilings and high galleries, supported by pillars.
I found myself in an amazing gigantic room made of granite, which is so skillfully made that it resembles lace work. Towers and slender bell towers, crowned with chimeras, devils, fantastic animals and monstrous flowers and interconnected by an intricate network of arches, direct their peaks high into the sky.”
The most high point The mount (castle) of Saint-Michel lies below what is now the transept of the church, where the transition from Gothic to Romanesque style is particularly evident in the naves. To create a church in the traditional form of a cross, with crypts, it had to be built on a hillside, and the entire structure, made of granite from the island of Chozet, had to be completely consistent with the terrain. Space was limited, but the building grew over the centuries with an architectural ingenuity that is especially surprising for its geometry. The construction of the monastery began with the gloomy Great Hall.
It is not surprising that the building of the monastery is not particularly smooth: the church, choir, nave and tower were completed and remodeled. Along with the architecture, the style of decoration also changed. IN medieval era the walls of public rooms, such as the refectory, were decorated with tapestries and frescoes, but now you will see bare walls. To get an idea of the abbey's history, look out for its curious models at the entrance, which depict four different eras.
Rest of Saint Michel Island
The fortifications of the abbey can be penetrated through the Royal Gate, which leads to the Grand Rue. Souvenir shops with overpriced goods are randomly scattered along its sides, which is a continuation of the ancient tradition of leaving pilgrims without money.
Grand Rue ends with a wide staircase with steep steps leading upward. On a plaque next to the stairs it is written that Jacques Cartier was presented here to Francis I on May 8, 1532, and was entrusted with the exploration of the Canadian coast. At the Maritime Museum you will get acquainted with underwater animals and flora Saint-Michel Bay, while the Archaeoscope takes you on a 15-minute journey through space and time.
Behind the 11th-century St. Peter's Basilica is the Grevin Museum. Its exhibitions are dedicated to the history of the monastery. Here you can see scenes from the life of former times, recreated using wax figures. Both museums are open from February to mid-November. Huge crowds gather every day for North Tower to look at the strait. Flocks of seagulls, despite the late hour, are mincing along the sand, but soon they will have to fly up to escape the rising water.
Useful information about the castle and abbey of Saint-Michel
On Mount Saint-Michel there is a tourist office below at the entrance to the monastery. A regular bus service connects Mont Saint-Michel with the train stations of Pontorson, Rena And Saint Malo. Although the island has a surprising number of hotels and restaurants, there are still not enough of them to cope with the real influx of tourists. Obviously, most of these establishments offer expensive services, however, almost every hotel still has cheap rooms.
Best known hotel La Mare Poulard. Legendary omelettes are prepared here, enjoyed by Leon Trotsky and Margaret Thatcher (in different time), which is how they justify their extortionate prices. The cheapest option is Du Guesclin, where there is a TV in every room, and the Crois Blanche and Mouton Blanc hotels are of a high standard. It's sad but restaurants It's worse here than anywhere else in France, making it quite difficult to recommend anything.
Additionally, it is worth noting that large hotels and motels are lined up along the D-976 highway closest to the island, each of which has cafe or a restaurant. Among them are Motel Vert, Hotel Formule Verte and Hotel de la Digue. There is even a three-star campsite, Mont Saint-Michel, which is also on the mainland just off the road.
Most visitors to Mount Saint-Michel stop at Pontorson, which is 6 kilometers from the island and where the nearest Train Station, from where regular buses depart to Mont Saint-Michel. The hotels here are not particularly special, but, for example, Montgomery, which occupies an old ivy-covered mansion (13 rue du Couesnon), and Bretagne (59 rue du Couesnon) have very good restaurants. The recently renovated boarding house is located near the cathedral, 1 kilometer west of the station, in the Du Guesclin Center (21 rue du General Patton).
Visiting the Chateau Saint-Michel
Access to the island of Saint-Michel is free and unrestricted. There is a €5 fee for parking either on the highway or in areas that are underwater at high tide. If you come here by car in the summer, it is better to leave your car on the mainland somewhere near Saint-Michel and enjoy a walk (this way you can avoid possible traffic jams).
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is open daily: May-September 9.00-19.00, entrance until 18.00; October-April 9.30-18.00, entrance until 17.00. Closed: December 25, January 1 and May 1. A standard ticket (9€, 6€ for 18 to 25 year olds, free ticket for under 18s) entitles you to visit all accessible places on the island and join one of the excursions, which are conducted in different languages (mid-June – mid-September excursion lasts 45 minutes, mid-September – mid-June – 1 hour).
The daily tour schedule is posted at the entrance. There are also more detailed tours that last a full two hours, but only in French (July and August daily 10.30, 11.30, 14.00 and 16.00; September-June Saturday and Sunday 10.30 and 14.00; 5 € extra).
Only in July and August is the Abbey of Saint-Michel open in the evenings. During this time, visitors can take a walk in the gardens (Monday-Sunday 7.00-21.00; admission is free if you have a basic ticket purchased at any other time of the day). Also, when music and video equipment is reinstalled in the abbey, you can stay here until midnight (Monday-Saturday 21.00-00.00, entrance up to 10 €, for persons 13-24 years old - 7 €).
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It's hard to talk about Mont Saint-Michel. This castle-abbey is rightly called the Wonder of the West. Everything is a miracle here - the long history, the amazing buildings, and the very atmosphere of an impregnable fortress located on a small rocky island. It is no coincidence that he became the prototype for the fortress of Minas Tirith in J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. However, Mont Saint-Michel is even more fantastic. For convenience, I will divide my story into several parts. And today we will talk about its history and geography.
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel represents a symbolic model of medieval society. The lower tier is “those who work”: artisans and traders. The middle tier is “those who fight”: knights and kings. Finally, the top tier is “those who pray”: the clergy.
Mont Saint Michel (fr. Mont Saint-Michel, Norman Mont Saint Miché- Mount St. Michael) is a rocky island 80 m high and about 950 m in circumference, located in a huge bay with an area of 40,000 sq.m., open towards the English Channel. 3 km from it lies another island - Tromblen, rising 40 m above the bay. These rocks were formed over 20 million years ago from granulite, a very dense crystalline rock. Three rivers flow into the bay - Sé, Selyun and Kuenon, which create new picturesque bends at every low tide.
The strongest sea tides in Europe are observed here; water level fluctuations can reach 15 meters! At low tide, the water retreats from the mainland by more than 20 kilometers, exposing the bottom - the thinnest quicksand clay-limestone origin. Walking along such a bottom is quite dangerous: you can easily get stuck in swampy places. During high tides, the sea returns quickly - according to legend, at the speed of a galloping horse. However, this is an exaggeration: average speed The tide is 62 meters per minute, which is also significant and poses a danger to tourists and pilgrims.
These island rocks are visible from afar - the coastal plain is completely flat. And therefore it is not surprising that people have long paid attention to them and considered them sacred. Two French provinces— Normandy and Brittany are arguing over the right to consider the island part of their territory. Formally, Mont Saint-Michel belongs to Normandy - the border between the provinces runs along the Couesnon River.
This is an incredible sight when two huge buildings suddenly appear on the horizon and, as they approach them, begin to grow - Mont Saint-Michel and Tromblin
Once upon a time, Celtic tribes lived on the mainland. On the rock, which at that time was on land, there was a Druid sanctuary. However, gradually the sea advanced onto the land and the rocks became islands. However, over time, the reverse process began: the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel is filled with sedimentary marine sediments. At the end of the 19th century, when a dam was built connecting the island with the mainland, this process accelerated, now only twice a year Mont Saint-Michel becomes a real island, surrounded on all sides by water.
History of Mont Saint Michel
Founding of the monastery: Ober and St. Michael
The island was originally called Mont Tomb(fr. Mont Tombe), from Latin tumba, meaning "mountain" or "grave". In the VI century. Several hermit monks settled on it and built two sanctuaries. According to a 10th century manuscript Revelatio ecclesiae sancti Michaelis, one night in 708 Oberu, Bishop of the city of Avranches, Archangel Michael appeared in a dream and ordered a church to be built on the rock. The bishop was in doubt, so the Archangel had to appear three times. And the third time, angry for disobedience, he pierced Ober’s skull with his finger. Only then did he begin construction. By the way, on the skull of Aubert, whose relics rest in the Basilica of Avranches, you can see a round dent - a mark from the blow of the Archangel.
A chapel was built on the rock, similar to the sanctuary in the cave of Monte Gargano in southern Italy, where in 492 the appearance of the Archangel Michael took place. The chapel erected by Ober only vaguely resembled an Italian grotto. Two relics were brought here from Monte Gargano: a fragment of a scarlet cloth thrown by the Archangel and part of a marble slab with the imprint of his foot.
Several canon monks settled at the new sanctuary. At the same time, the cult of the Archangel Michael was strengthened throughout the empire. Soon the island became one of the most important centers of pilgrimage and began to be called Mont Saint-Michel - Mount Saint Michael.
And here I would like to make a small digression and talk about the veneration of Archangel Michael in France.
Tower and spire topped with a statue of the Archangel Michael
Cult of Archangel Michael in France
Archangel Michael is revered as a warrior and protector. They believe that he fought with Satan, who took the form of a dragon and plunged him into the abyss of water. He protects the souls of the righteous from insidious demons on the way to Heavenly Jerusalem. According to the Old Testament, he is the intercessor of the people of Israel. In the last battle of Good and Evil, Archangel Michael will stand at the head of the light army. At the Last Judgment he will hold scales on which the good and evil deeds of people will be weighed.
The Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne chose Archangel Michael as his patron, and in 813 the celebration of St. Michael's Day was established. During the Capetian dynasty (987-1328), the cult of Saint Dionysius became widespread, but in the Valois era (1328-1589) the cult of the Archangel Michael regained popularity. Under Charles VII, Archangel Michael becomes a national saint, the savior of France, who liberated the country from the invasion of the British. It was the words of Archangel Michael that Joan of Arc heard:
I am Michael, patron saint of France. Get up and come to the aid of the French king.
The heroic defense of the defenders of Mont Saint-Michel, besieged by the British, also played a major role in strengthening the cult. In 1469, Louis XI founded the monastic order of Saint Michael, and Mont Saint-Michel became its center. After the French Revolution, Archangel Michael became the emblem and symbol of the French nation.
So it is not surprising that throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, crowds of pilgrims flocked to Mont Saint-Michel.
Archangel Michael. Copy of a statue made by the sculptor Femier, displayed in the cellar of La Merveille
Mont Saint-Michel in the 10th-15th centuries: center of pilgrimage and Benedictines
In 933, Cotentin, a peninsula in northwestern France, was annexed to Normandy, and Mont-Saint-Michel came under the protection of the Dukes of Normandy. In 966, by order of Richard I, third Duke of Normandy, Benedictine monks from Fontenelle (now the Abbey of Saint-Vendrille in Saint-Maritim) were transferred to Mont-Saint-Michel. In their opinion, the life of the canons was not so edifying.
Life of the Benedictines
The Benedictine motto was “Pray and Work” ( ora et labora), established by the founder of the order, Saint Benedict of Nursia in 529. Benedictines take three traditional vows: obedience to the abbot, poverty and chastity, as well as a fourth, additional vow - stability, obliging them to remain in the monastery and not wander around in different places.
Life in the community was strictly regulated: 8 hours were allocated for prayer, 8 for mental work, another 8 hours for work. Services were held seven times a day: at dawn (matins), services of the first ( prime), third ( tierce), sixth ( sexte), ninth ( none) hours, vespers and after vespers. In addition, on the eve of the holidays, Mass and High Mass were celebrated.
Twice a day the monks gathered for a meal, which included bread, vegetables and wine. On holidays, the sick were allowed fish, as well as poultry. Wine, first of all, warmed. It is not surprising that it was in the Benedictine monasteries that the strong drink Benedictine appeared, which I will talk about in more detail in one of the upcoming posts.
At the beginning of the 11th century, 50 monks lived in Mont Saint-Michel, a century and a half later - 60, and since then their number has never exceeded 60.
Construction at the monastery
The Benedictines dreamed that Mont Saint-Michel would become a kind of hymn to the glory of the Almighty. However, it was not possible to place a huge cathedral building on top of the rock that could accommodate all the pilgrims. Then it was decided to first build four chapels, oriented to the cardinal points, which would become a platform for the future building. This is how the crypt of the Great Pylons appeared, facing east, in the south - the crypt of Saint-Martin, in the north - the crypt of Notre-Dame de Trent-Cierge (Our Lady of the Thirty Candles), in the west - the crypt of Notre-Dame-sous-Terre (Our Lady Dungeons). Notre-Dame-sous-Terre is the oldest, containing fragments of a church built in the pre-Romanesque style, possibly the first sanctuary on the mountain. In 1023, construction began on the cathedral in the Romanesque style, which was completed only in 1520 in the Gothic style.
Nave of the monastery church
In 1204, Philip Augustus annexed the Duchy of Normandy, which had been under English rule since 1066, to the Kingdom of France. Breton soldiers, who marched on the side of France, set fire to Mont Saint-Michel. The buildings north of the cathedral were destroyed. However, thanks to the generosity of Philip Augustus, buildings were erected in their place in just a few years (Miracle).
La Merveille is a symbolic representation of medieval society and a symbol of the Holy Trinity: three buildings, each building has three floors, on each floor there is a hall with its own special meaning. However, due to lack of funds, only two of the three buildings were built. The “Western Miracle” includes the cloister of the monastery as a symbol of spiritual food, the manuscript workshop, symbolizing mental food, and the cellars - carnal food. The “Eastern Miracle” includes a monastery refectory, a hall for receiving guests and a refectory for the poor. In the third “miracle,” which was never built, there should have been a chapter hall, a library below, and a stable at the very bottom.
La Merveille, fragment of a wall
In the mid-13th - early 16th centuries, the complex of buildings surrounding the church from the east and south was supplemented with buildings containing the abbot's apartments and halls for lay monastic services.
Pilgrims at Mont Saint Michel
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is the fourth place of pilgrimage in the West after Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela. History has preserved the name of the first pilgrim to Mont Saint-Michel. It was a Frank named Bernard. In 867-868, returning from a trip to Rome and Monte Gargano, he visited Mont Saint-Michel.
Since the 11th century, the number of pilgrims has increased significantly. From this time on, wonderful stories about pilgrims also appear. So, according to one of them, a young woman from Lisieux, who was in the last stages of pregnancy, was caught by the tide. In addition, she began to experience labor pains. Anticipating imminent death, she offered fervent prayers to the Mother of God. And a miracle happened: the water parted around her, the woman was relieved of her burden. The next morning, the fishermen found her and the baby safe and sound. Another story tells of an Italian who stole a stone from the abbey without asking the monks and then fell ill. They also talk about miraculous healings after the sick drank the water in which the skull of Saint Aubert was washed...
In the 14th century, a new category of pilgrims appeared - children and teenagers. A kind of madness then gripped all of Europe. Children ran away from home and went on difficult journeys. They were nicknamed “shepherds” - many of them tended flocks. The road to Mont Saint-Michel, where shelters and inns for pilgrims appeared, began to be called “the path to heaven.”
The pilgrimage was dangerous. On the way, pilgrims were often robbed by robbers. They often died from disease. And even in Mont Saint-Michel itself, danger awaited them. So, in 1318, 13 pilgrims were trampled by a crowd that broke into the sanctuary, 18 drowned in the bay, 12 got stuck in quicksand. A Norman proverb says:
Before you go to Mont Saint-Michel, make your will.
To this day, Mont Saint-Michel remains an important pilgrimage center. Pilgrims differ from ordinary tourists in that they walk, accompanied by guides, through the quicksand of the bay. Twice a year the abbey is especially crowded: on May 8 (or the Sunday closest to this date), when the day of the appearance of the Archangel Michael in Monte Gargano is celebrated, and on September 29, on the day of the consecration of the Roman altar dedicated to the Archangel.
Low tide in the bay of Mont Saint Michel. It was along these shifting sands that the pilgrims walked
Defense of Mont Saint-Michel during the Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War broke out in 1337 and ended in 1453. At the turn of the XIV-XV centuries, the abbey and the village were strengthened. However, in 1420, Abbot Jolivet suddenly left the monastery and offered his services to the English. In 1421, the altar part of the cathedral collapsed. In 1424, the naval siege of Mont Saint-Michel began by the British, who settled on neighboring island Tomblen. It lasted until 1434. Thanks to the protection of the knights and high tides, the fortress-abbey remained impregnable.
Mont Saint-Michel in the XV-XVIII centuries
After the Hundred Years' War, a short period of prosperity for the abbey began, which, however, ended in a long decline. In the mid-15th century, abbots, previously elected by monks, were appointed by kings. The monastery turned into a source of income for them. Monastic life quickly declined.
In 1577, 1589 and 1591, when the Wars of Religion were raging in Europe, Protestants tried to take Mont Saint-Michel. In 1591, a hundred Protestants were killed here under the leadership of Gabriel de Lorges, Earl of Montgomery...
Jail
The first punishment cells appeared in the abbey in the 12th century. Monks who committed serious crimes and those whom the abbot sent to trial were sent here. At the end of the 15th century, by order of King Louis XI, a small part of the abbey was turned into a state prison, the “Bastille of the Sea,” as it was called. Extremely cramped cells were built where it was impossible to either stand up or lie down at full height. In addition, the prisoners were chained to the wall with a chain that jingled with every movement. Huge cages were also built with stakes protruding inside, where the person was essentially immobilized. As a rule, prisoners died within a year. Between 1666 and 1786, 153 prisoners were in this state prison.
In 1793, revolutionaries announced the closure of the monastery and the transfer of property to the state. Mont Saint-Michel, renamed Mont Libre (Mount of Liberty), became a prison that existed until 1863. During this time, 14,000 prisoners visited here. At first, these were priests and peasants, opponents of the Revolution. Then – political prisoners and criminals. The Miracle building housed a straw hat factory.
Restoration and revival of Mont Saint-Michel
Victor Hugo, who visited Mont Saint-Michel in 1863, wrote bitterly:
Toad in a reliquary. When will France finally understand the sanctity of monuments?
In the same year, the last prisoners were transferred to other prisons. However, it was not until 1874 that Mont Saint-Michel was handed over to the administration of " Historical monuments”, which took up the restoration of the abbey.
In 1897, the construction of a tower and spire in the neo-Gothic style was completed (architect Victor Petigrand), on top of which a gilded statue of the Archangel Michael was installed (sculptor Emmanuel Fremier, 1897). Mont Saint-Michel has acquired its current appearance.
At the end of the 19th century, a dam was also built to connect the island with the mainland. Unfortunately, it provoked an acceleration in the filling of the bay with sandy sediments. As a result, over the past 100 years, the level of the island's bottom has risen by 3 meters, which is why Mont Saint-Michel may lose its island position. A project is currently being implemented to build a bridge on the site of part of the dam, the length of which will be 1 km. According to hydrologists, such measures will help free the bay from sea sediments.
Tromblen Island
Tromblen Island is located 3 km from Mont Saint-Michel. In the 11th century, two monks retired here for several years: Robert of Tromblen and Anastas the Venetian. In the 12th century, Abbot Bernard du Bec built a monastery here with a church in the name of the Virgin Mary, which became the center of the so-called “small pilgrimage” to Mont Saint-Michel. At the beginning of the 13th century, when a split occurred in the Mont-Saint-Michel community, Abbot Jourdain hid here.
During the Hundred Years' War, Tromblin Island was occupied by the British, who built a fortress on it. In the 17th century, Tromblin became the property of Nicolas Fouquet, minister of finance at the court of Louis XIV. After Fouquet fell out of favor, the king ordered the destruction of all buildings on the island.
Since 1985, there has been an ornithological reserve on the island.
In the next post I will continue the conversation about Mont Saint-Michel and talk about.
To be continued…
* When writing this post, materials from the guidebooks “Mont Saint-Michel” (Paris, 2006) and “Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel” were used.
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