Mont Saint Michel

Summer Holiday 2009, Mont Saint Michel
Mont Saint Michel Le Mont-Saint-Michel is an island commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's northwestern coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. 100 hectares in size, the island has a population of 44 (2009). The island has held strategic fortifications since ancient times and since the 8th century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it draws its name. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: on top, God, the abbey and monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, fishermen's and farmers' housing. Its unique position of being an island only 600 metres from land made it readily accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey. Equally, this position made it readily defensible as an incoming tide stranded, or drowned, would-be assailants. By capitalizing on this natural defence the Mont remained unconquered during the Hundred Years' War with a small garrison successfully defending it against a full attack by the English in 1433. The reverse benefits of its natural defence were not lost on Louis XI, who turned the Mont into a prison. One of France's most recognizable landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and more than 3 million people visit it each year. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The outer walls and tower. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel King's Gate from the 15th century, still in use as an entrance to the city. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Grande Rue and the post office : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Grande Rue : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Grande Rue : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Grande Rue : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Le Mouton Blanc hotel and restaurant on Grande Rue : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Grande Rue : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Eglise Saint Pierre. Dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, St-Pierre is considered the parish church of Mont St-Michel (as opposed to the Abbey church or chapel). The church is dedicated to St-Pierre, or Saint Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. Given its location on Mont St-Michel, however, in the interior is a side chapel with a statue of Saint Michael slaying the dragon. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The graveyard of Eglise Paroissiale Saint-Pierre : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The graveyard of Eglise Paroissiale Saint-Pierre : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel The monastery : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A view towards mainland : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Grand Degré, a large staircase that leads to the monastery Mont Saint Michel A lot of stairs, kids don't mind though. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Yup, more stairs. Monastery church is on the right. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A different kind of faucelet : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel View down from the monastery walls : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Abbey church and the beautiful bell tower, with a golden statue of St-Michel on top, is a recognizable feature of the Mont St-Michel skyline. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel The monastery church. In the 11th century, William de Volpiano, the Italian architect who had built the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, was chosen by Richard II of Normandy to be the building contractor. He designed the Romanesque church of the abbey, daringly placing the transept crossing at the top of the mount. Many underground crypts and chapels had to be built to compensate for this weight; these formed the basis for the supportive upward structure that can be seen today. Today Mont Saint-Michel is seen as a building of Romanesque architecture. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The monastery : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The church's nave : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The church's altar : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel QVIS VT DEVS, is the inscription beneath this polychrome statue – the one overlooking the altar in the transept crossing of the abbey. Accepting that it is probably from mediaeval times and that the inscription would be Latin we then get it as Quis Ut Deus – "who is like God". There is no doubt then that this is a depiction of St Michel. The name Michel or Michael can be broken down into its Hebrew components Mich El – which literally translates again as “who like God” – further identity confirmation if needed. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A Crusifix : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A votive boat in the church, common everywhere where seafarers visited church. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday 090609 Mont St Michel 5D (60) There are a number of friezes of polychrome decorated stone to be seen displayed within the abbey. These depict well known scenes from the Bible. They are evidently not in their original location (they appear to have once been a continuous sequential panel) which would indicate that they belonged to an earlier abbey church or were brought from some other place of Christian worship. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Churches bell rope : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A bit unsafe stairs : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The cloisters : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Carvings in the arcade : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel The cloisters' arcade : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A window with a view : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Aubert and St Michel. In the eighth century Aubert, Bishop of Avranches dedicated the rock on which Mont St Michel is built to the Archangel Michael. Known as Mont Tombe at the time, the rock had long attracted Christian pilgrims as a place of worship. The cult of St Michel had spread through Europe, and appearances of his spirit were claimed in many locations. Appearing in a dream one night (reputedly in the year 708) St Michel ordered Aubert to make Mont Tombe a place of worship and to build an oratory dedicated to him. Believing the dream to have been his imagination it is said Aubert ignored the command twice and on the third occasion St Michel pressed his thumb deeply into Aubert’s forehead, providing a waking reminder that his appearance was no figment of the bishop’s imagination. Aubert obeyed the archangel’s orders , the oratory was built and dedicated on October 16th 709. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Salle des Hôtes or Guests Chamber. It was here that Abbot Raoul des Isles would entertain his rich and famous visitors with banquets and feasts. Tables were set out along two aisles and meals would be cooked over fires at the end of the hall – separated from guests by tapestry screens as were the ablution facilities. The upper level of the abbey church and cloisters was the preserve of the clergy, and the middle level was for nobility and royalty. It is therefore not surprising to note the opulence of the Gothic architecture which would have been used to display many decorative artefacts no longer present in the room. Although the flooring seen in the hall is of limestone, there remain some beautiful mosaic patterned floors elsewhere in the room. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Hinges : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The sledge and wooden tracks used to haul stuff inside the abbey using the giant tread-wheel. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Salle des Chevaliers (Knights' Hall), where noble knights were received. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Salle des Chevaliers (Knights' Hall), where noble knights were received. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Crypte des Gros Piliers (Crypt of Large Pillars) This crypt was built only as a base for the new choir. After the Hundred Years War, works began and the crypt was finished within a few years. Ten cylindrical pillars, whose centre might be the former Romanesque column, were built to support the new Gothic flamboyant style choir. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Unidentified room inside the monastery, pretty close to the giant wheel though : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The giant tread-wheel, which six workers once powered hamster-style to haul two-ton loads of stones and supplies from the landing below. This was used until the 19th century. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The giant tread-wheel, which six workers once powered hamster-style to haul two-ton loads of stones and supplies from the landing below. This was used until the 19th century. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Outer wall of the monastery. Not very easy to conquer : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel The sledge and wooden tracks used to haul stuff inside the abbey using the giant tread-wheel. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Yet more stairs. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel St. Michel fights the Demon : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel The monastery and the bell tower. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Defensive walls of the monastery : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Outer walls and buildings : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Storks looking for food : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Medieval house : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Nice hinges : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A view towards the monastery from the outer walls : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A small watchtower on the outer wall : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Wall A house seen from the walls, towards the monastery : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Medieval house : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A restaurant accessible from the wall : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A narrow lane and a room above it : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Remains of a tower : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Tightly squeezed together : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Grande Rue from the walls : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Watchtower Medieval watchtower guarding the shores : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel Outer walls and a lot of tourists : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Medieval house : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel A gargoyle as a souvenir, the first choice for everybody :). : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel Post office sign : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday
Mont Saint Michel The outer gate from the inside : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday Mont Saint Michel In 1434, in a last tentative effort, the English partially destroyed the battlements and lit a fire in the village; Taking advantage of the situation they used siege engines to open a breach in the wall which allowed the English soldiers to invade the streets of the Mount. However, the Mount’s garrison resisted and the English army was forced to retreat. As a souvenir, the garrison kept two wrought-iron canons left by the English and placed them at the main entrance of the Mount. “Les Michelettes”, as they were named, are nowadays still displayed near the outer defensive wall. At the end of the Hundred years’ war the Romanesque choir gallery of the Abbey, which had collapsed in 1421, was finally replaced by a Gothic style one. : France, Mont Saint-Michel, Ranska, building, historia, history, keskiaika, kesäloma, mediveal, rakennus, summer holiday