Caen and Cherbourg

Pictures taken in Caen and Cherbourg on our Summer Holiday 2015 to Ireland.
Eglise Saint Etienne le vieux The existence of St-Etienne-le-Vieux is first recorded in 1066, but it was probably built earlier. It was then that it began to be called "Old" St. Stephen's, because the new church at the adjacent Abbaye aux Hommes was also dedicated to St. Stephen. The original Romanesque church was destroyed during the English sieges of 1346 and 1417 (the Hundred Years War) and subsequently rebuilt in a Gothic style. During the French Revolution it was used as a stable. The old church was saved from demolition by Arcisse de Caumont in 1847, but was partly destroyed in a bombing of 1944. source: Sacred Destinations) : Caen, Eglise Saint Etienne le vieux, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Hotel de Ville Caen town hall is part of the Men's abbey, of which the cathedral of St. Etienne is as well. The current town hall was practically rebuild after the second world war, as it was bombed to the ground by the British. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupungintalo, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, town hall, travel Eglise de Saint-Etienne It was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror and is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Normandy. The abbey was to be built in Caen stone, and construction began in 1066. For many decades during the 11th century, there was a mutually fruitful competition between Saint-Étienne and its sister building Sainte-Trinité. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic. The original Romanesque apse was replaced in 1166 by an early Gothic chevet, complete with rosette windows and flying buttresses. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. : Caen, France, Ranska, The Men's Abbey, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Eglise de Saint-Etienne It was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror and is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Normandy. The abbey was to be built in Caen stone, and construction began in 1066. For many decades during the 11th century, there was a mutually fruitful competition between Saint-Étienne and its sister building Sainte-Trinité. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic. The original Romanesque apse was replaced in 1166 by an early Gothic chevet, complete with rosette windows and flying buttresses. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. : Caen, France, Ranska, The Men's Abbey, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
Abbaye aux Hommes One of the buildings of former Men's Abbey, part of which is now also serving as a town hall. The use of this part is unknown to me though, it's located right next to the Cathedral. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Fruit Fruits sold on the street, one satisfied customer heads home. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Palais de Justice Caen Old Courthouse. The first part of the old courthouse was built between 1780-1810 after the plans drawn by Armand Lefebvre. The second part was added between 1831-1866. New courthouse was built in 2015 as this one was deemed too expensive to repair. : Caen, France, Ranska, court house, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, oikeustalo, summer holiday, town, travel Le Chat Poche Black cat posing in the street corner (okay, it's painted, but still). : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
Painting Fixing the painting of window covers. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Relief A romanesque style wall relief above the door. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Stuff All kinds of things collected on a window sill : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel L'Eglise du Vieux Saint-Sauveur The Church of St. Saviour, which is probably founded at the end of the Carolingian period, is a building whose oldest parts date back to the late eleventh century or the beginning of the twelfth century (for the tower in particular). It is called from 1130 St-Sauveur-of-Market, old name of the place where it is located. It revised several times during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. A new chancel was built between 1530 and 1546 in Gothic style. In 1698, the cemetery surrounding the church is moved to expand the Saint-Sauveur; the free space left on the street of the Chain (Now Pasteur Street) and rue Saint-Sauveur is then invaded by houses that are seated on the church. When the Place Saint Saveur is converted into depth in the second half of the eighteenth century, the façade of the fifteenth century is destroyed and a new classic style portal was built a little further west. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
Place Saint-Sauveur Since the Middle Ages, the Place Saint Saveur is a major public spaces of Caen. The only access to the old town to the population of Bourg-l'Abbé or for people coming from the west (Bessin, Cotentin, Avranchin or Britain) is via the narrow drawbridge of the Porte Saint-Martin connected the Saint-Sauveur place by Pémagnie street. In the thirteenth century, the place is leveled and paved. New campaigns are conducted works of the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. But in the eighteenth century, the city of Caen is part of the largest urban renewal movement at work in France. In 1735, an order of aldermen Caen ordered the redevelopment of the Place Saint-Sauveur so the old medieval buildings were destroyed to allow the wealthy to build beautiful mansions on a new alignment. The sale in 1745 of the properties of the Abbey d'Ardenne in the square accelerates the movement One of these is the first hotel Lash (No. 20 present), built around 1740. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Place Saint-Sauveur Since the Middle Ages, the Place Saint Saveur is a major public spaces of Caen. The only access to the old town to the population of Bourg-l'Abbé or for people coming from the west (Bessin, Cotentin, Avranchin or Britain) is via the narrow drawbridge of the Porte Saint-Martin connected the Saint-Sauveur place by Pémagnie street. In the thirteenth century, the place is leveled and paved. New campaigns are conducted works of the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. But in the eighteenth century, the city of Caen is part of the largest urban renewal movement at work in France. In 1735, an order of aldermen Caen ordered the redevelopment of the Place Saint-Sauveur so the old medieval buildings were destroyed to allow the wealthy to build beautiful mansions on a new alignment. The sale in 1745 of the properties of the Abbey d'Ardenne in the square accelerates the movement One of these is the first hotel Lash (No. 20 present), built around 1740. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Louis XIV Statue of Louis XIV of France, intriguingly dressed as a Roman Emperor. Apparently, Louis XIV fancied himself as a great military leader and admired Emperor Trajan. In fact, Louis was sometimes referred to as Trajan de France. Some scholars believe that the Neoclassical Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s creation, with its use of marble and many sculptured busts of Roman Emperors, was styled on what the French king thought a modern Roman Emperor’s residence should look like. Inaugurated in 1828, the famous Caen statue, by sculptor Louis Petitot, is 3.65 meters tall and weighs nearly four tons, made of bronze. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel The Caravan A figurative and symbolic representation of citizens gathered around the theme of brotherhood, called The Caravan, This project comprises eleven work pieces in cast aluminum. Each is on a human scale (2 meters high) and will be available on Caen. The cost of this work of art is 204 000 euros. This project will be funded two-thirds by the city, the rest being borne by the State, through the help of public control device. Following a steering committee chaired by the Deputy Mayor of Caen, Philippe Duron, is the idea of Joep Van Lieshout, was chosen and approved by the National Commission for public procurement. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
The Caravan A figurative and symbolic representation of citizens gathered around the theme of brotherhood, called The Caravan, This project comprises eleven work pieces in cast aluminum. Each is on a human scale (2 meters high) and will be available on Caen. The cost of this work of art is 204 000 euros. This project will be funded two-thirds by the city, the rest being borne by the State, through the help of public control device. Following a steering committee chaired by the Deputy Mayor of Caen, Philippe Duron, is the idea of Joep Van Lieshout, was chosen and approved by the National Commission for public procurement. : Caen, France, Ranska, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Damien in the harbour Damien waiting to board the ship to Ireland : Cherbourg, Damien, France, Ranska, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel Oscar Wilde The boat to take us across the sea to Ireland. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel Cherbourg Harbour Cherbourg harbour, on the right the long building is Cité de la Mer: set in the spacious former Art Deco Gare Maritime building where ocean liner passengers embarked and disembarked, this major marine centre opened in 2002. It offers a wide variety of themed areas. There are parts dedicated to underwater exploration and marine creatures, and of course there’s a section devoted to the Titanic. The issue of immigration are also covered. The highlight for many visitors is boarding the disused French nuclear submarine, Le Redoutable, kept here : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel
Cherbourg Cherbourg harbour and town, a fast trimaran Brittany ferries is reado to go. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel Strange boat This weird looking boat entered the harbour while we were waiting our ferry to leave. It belongs either to someone very rich or maybe it's some kind of military ship0, don't know. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel Cherbourg Harbour Military port at the far end of the harbour. It protects the small boat harbour from high seas as well. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel Cherbourg Harbour A general view of the harbour and the city behind it. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel
Fort Central Fort Central, Cherbourg Harbour , is believed to be the second largest artificial harbour in the world. This fort was built in the mid 19th century : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel Fort de l’Ouest Eastern fort. This fort was built in the mid 19th century by the order of Napoleon III. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel Fort de l’Ouest Eastern fort. This fort was built in the mid 19th century by the order of Napoleon III. : Cherbourg, France, Ranska, harbour, kesäloma, matka, satama, summer holiday, travel