Saint-Vaast-de-Longmont - Saint-Vaast

The area belonged to Verberie (3 kms north), an important place during in Carolingian times. Charles Martel met Pope Gregory III here, Charlemagne, Martel´s grandson, built a palace in Verberie.

Archaeologists could prove, that there were at least two preceding churches, when the erection of this church started around 1100. At that times, this was a single nave structure. Modifications started already around 1160, when and aisle was added a more "modern" apse was added, replacing an older one.

The portal, seen here, is extraordinary. It consists out of four large zig-zag-archivolts. The nearby church of Rully (10kms south), with a similar but but smaller zigzag design, was built within the same decades. The towers of both churches show as well parallels, so the workshops may have closely cooperated.