Bordeaux - Saint-Seurin

Saint-Seurin was originally built outside the city walls close to an ancient necropolis. The Abbey of St. Seurin bears the name of the venerated fourth bishop of Bordeaux. A first building, confirmed towards mid 5th century, got destroyed during the 8th century Norman invasions. It was reconstructed above the crypt of St. Seurin from the 11th to 13th centuries.

The church underwent important modifications and got a new facade during the 19th century. Behind this facade parts of the Romanesque portal got saved. On one of the capitals is the

Binding of Isaac

Genesis 22, 9-13

"When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son."