Romanesque Capitals

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now. A capital

Savigny-en-Sancerre is a small town (pop 1000) in the Sancerre area, probably cultivated already by the Romans, as the sloping hills provided grapes with enough sunlight and warmth to fully ripen. Sancerre wines were very popular, - Savigny had a population of about 2000 - until in the late 19th century, the phylloxera epidemic devastated the area. The vines were replanted with Sauvignon Blanc because they grafted better onto the American rootstocks. In the late 1970s and 1980s, a wave of quality consciousness helped elevate the reputation of Sancerre as an elegant white wine, often compared to the neighbouring Pouilly-Fumé. Saint-Symphorien, located in the centre Savigny-en-Sancerre was the church of a priory, erected in the 12th century. Nave and choir are still from the 12th, while the arms of the transept and the apses were redone in the 19th century. This capital is so - untouched. Romanesque 12th/13th century? Or neo-Romanesque 19th??

"Argentomagus" a Roman oppidum existed, where Saint-Marcel is today. The Roman town may have had about 5000 inhabitants. The ruins of an amphitheatre are still visible. A legend tells, that within the third century two young, Christian missionary named Marcel d'Argenton and Anastase du Berry arrived from Rome. Marcel renewed the miracle of the Wedding at Cana, transforming water into wine, but that did not convince the Roman Praetor, who had Marcel martyred where the church is today. In medieval times neighbouring Argenton-sur-Creuse, around its feudal castle, thrived, while Saint-Marcel was a village, that since 1285 belonged to a priory. The current church, dedicated to Saint-Marcel, is built over a crypt of the 8th century. The erection started probably in the 11th century in Romanesque style and was completed in the 15th century with the tower in Gothic style. A pretty strange capital.

Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Cornadore erected on the Mont-Cornadore over the tomb of Saint Nectaire, a scholar of missionary Saint Austremonius of Clermont, the first bishop of the Auvergne. Not much is known of the very early days here. 800 years after the death of Saint Nectaire, monks from the abbey La Chaise-Dieu settled and founding a priory here , after an estate was ceded to the abbey by William VII of Auvergne, called "The Young" (his uncle was "William the Old"). This must have taken place before 1169. Two Papal bulls deal with the properties of La Chaise-Dieu, the second one from 1178 lists Saint-Nectaire. It is not known, who built this church, nor who funded the construction. Maybe William VII or the abbey La Chaise-Dieu or mysterious Ranulfo, whose name can be seen on one of the capitals? The historians only agree, that this church was erected within the second half of the 12th century in a short period of time. Badly damaged during the French Revolution, the church got restaurated during the 19th century. This work is still disputed for not being "faithful" to the original, as some arcades (mainly outside) were added at that time. Most of capitals in the nave are not bible-related, like the pillarheads on the choir. A goat-rider meeting an animal playing the harp. I have seen both "icons" already before but never together on one capital. Mostly the harpist is a donkey, but here it is not. Donkeys have a different head (with long ears), no wooly hair - and different hoofs. This even-toed animal could well be a giant sheep.

The parish church of Fleury-la-Montagne has this interesting tympanum over the main entrance on the western side. This is flanked by two pillars with nicely carved capitals. The is the left capital. Here its is all about music. A small donkey in the right plays the harp with its hoofs, while a ram with long horns on the left plays the violin. Unfortunately the ram looks over his shoulder, facing the audience behind the corner. So - I cut half of its face. Sorry!

Le Blanc - Saint-Cyran Le Blanc is located on the border of Berry, Poitou and Touraine and could "guard" a ford to cross the Creuse. The river actually divided Le Blanc into a "lower town" (Berry) and an upper town shared between Berry and Poitou. There were two border-fortresses here. Saint-Cyran in the upper town was erected in the 12th century right next to the Château de Naillac, served as a castle chapel and was included in the fortified enclosure. The church got remodelled and enlarged in Gothic times. Another well-worked capital. Two birds share one head. I'm not an ornithologist, maybe you: which species? My guess is a ruff bird.

When the first barbarian people, the Alemanni invaded northern Italy, "Piacentia" was one of the first major Roman cities to be besieged. The Battle of Piacentia then broke out in front of the city walls in 271, during which the Alemanni inflicted a bitter defeat on the Romans. The fall of the city triggered panic in the capital. In 546, Totila subjugated Piacenza. After its conquest by the Franks in the ninth century, the city began to recover, aided by its location along the Via Francigena. Between 997 and 1035 the city was ruled by its bishops, installed by Otto III. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Piacenza was an important member of the Lombard League. As a rule, the city remained Guelph, but at times it called upon powerful Ghibellines to aid them against their native tyrants. In 1447 Piacenza was conquered and plundered by Francesco I Sforza. After being occupied by papal troops in 1512, it was united with Parma in 1545 to form a hereditary duchy under Pier Luigi II Farnese, a son of Pope Paul III. After the preceding "Domus Justinae" in Piacenza had collapsed in 1117 after an earthquake, the "Duomo di Piacenza" (aka "Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Giustina") was erected between 1122 and 1233. The cathedral has a total length of 85 m. making it the largest Romanesque church in Emilia-Romagna. The crypt, known for more than 100 Romanesque pillars. If the animal's head in the center is an ox or calf, it may stand for Luke, Then the lion stands for Mark, and the angel for Matthew.

Wilfred the Hairy (aka Guifré el Pilós), whom we just "met" as the founder of the nearby monastery in Sant Joan de les Abadesses, where his daughter Emma of Barcelona was the first abbess, founded the Monastery of Santa Maria in Ripoll in 879. Here his son Radulf de Barcelona was abbot. This was not only Wilfred´s family business, he was very successful in the political power game of that time. The first church was consecrated in 888, but as the monastery grew it was "reconsecrated" in 935, 977, and 1032. When Oliba de Besalú, as well a descendent of Wilfred, was abbot here (1008 - 1046), this was a cultural center. More than 250 books were on the shelves of the monastery´s library. The decline started within the 15th century. In 1428 it was severely damaged by an earthquake, the restoration was done in Gothic style. The church got ruined during the first Carlist War, the library burnt down, and the last monks had left. In 1847 part of the cloister and soon after, the abbot´s palace got demolished. The Bishop of Vic organized the rebuilding, so that the church got consecrated again in 1893. The church of today is vastly a product of the reconstruction of th 19th century, but it may be "near" to the romanesque structure. The cloister got reconstructed end of the 19th century as well, but as only a part of it had been demolished, it still contains a lot of the original structure. The construction of the ground floor started 1180 and it took to the the early 15th century to complete it. The second floor dates to the 15th and 16th century. Some of the capitals are sculptured by Jordi de Déu (aka Jordi Johan). Jordi de Déu (+1418), born on the island of Sicily, with greek roots, was sold as a slave to catalan master carver Jaume Cascalls, who taught him sculpture. A pretty mermaid and her handsome, bearded husband. The two tails of the couple meet on the other side of the capital.

Payerne Priory (= Peterlingen), a former Cluniac monastery, was founded around 962 by Empress Adelheid as the burial place of her mother Queen Berta of Burgundy. It was annexed to the reform abbey of Cluny in 962 as one of the first daughter monasteries. It was richly endowed by the kings of Burgundy and the German emperors and had extensive landholdings In 1033, Conrad II was crowned King of Burgundy in Peterlingen. The priory was first directly managed by the abbots from Cluny, but starting in 1050 the local prior led the monastery with increasing independence. Saint Ulrich of Zell, was prior here in the later 11th century. He later founded two Cluniac monasteries in the Black Forest. In 1444, the antipope Felix V raised the priory to an abbey. This elevation brought no benefits to the monastery. The Reformation and the weakening of Savoy's power led to the dissolution of the monastery. After the Bernese conquest of Vaud, some of the buildings were demolished. The former abbey church of Notre Dame is an example of Cluniac architecture and an important Romanesque church building. The current construction was started in the 11th century by Abbot Odilo of Cluny on the site of the previous 10th-century church. Parts of the previous building, including the archaic capitals, were included in the new church. After the Reformation, the church was profaned and served in the 17th century as a bell foundry, in the 18th century as a granary, and later also as a prison and barracks. Since 1926 a careful restoration was carried out. Local information describes this capital as an "Abbot with monks".

The castle was already mentioned in the 11th century as the ancestral seat of the Lords of Konradsburg. According to legend, Egino von Konradsburg killed the Count of Ballenstedt and wanted to do penance, which is why he gave the castle to the Benedictines. The castle became a Benedictine abbey and was later taken over by the Carthusians. The end of the monastery began in 1525 when it was plundered during the Peasants' War. In the following centuries, the Konradsburg served as a residential and commercial building. From the monastery church of St. Sixtus, only a small part is still standing. It is difficult to recognize the building as a church from the outside front. The interior of the remaining part of the church. Below is the crypt. The crypt with the intricately designed columns is breathtaking. A capital.

The monastery was founded after the death of King Heinrich I (Henry the Fowler) in 936 by Siegfried of Merseburg, brother of Margrave Gero the Great, and his second wife Guthia. The first Benedictine monks were sent from Corvey (Westphalia), whose priory was Groningen. From 1247 the bishops of Halberstadt were bailiffs of the monastery, which was dissolved after the Reformation in 1550. The monastery church of St. Vitus was consecrated in 940 by Abbot Volkmar I from Corvey, but this church does not exist anymore. From the beginning to about the middle of the 12th century, the present church was rebuilt as a Romanesque three-nave flat-roofed basilica. After the abolition of the monastery, the church fell into disrepair. As a result, in the 16th century the southern aisle and in 1606 the two choir aisles were demolished. Between 1819 and 1831 the northern aisle was removed and the originally square choir was shortened. The sculptural work in this church is quite fantastic. Both in terms of quality and originality. A capital.

The monastery was founded after the death of King Heinrich I (Henry the Fowler) in 936 by Siegfried of Merseburg, brother of Margrave Gero the Great, and his second wife Guthia. The first Benedictine monks were sent from Corvey (Westphalia), whose priory was Groningen. From 1247 the bishops of Halberstadt were bailiffs of the monastery, which was dissolved after the Reformation in 1550. The monastery church of St. Vitus was consecrated in 940 by Abbot Volkmar I from Corvey, but this church does not exist anymore. From the beginning to about the middle of the 12th century, the present church was rebuilt as a Romanesque three-nave flat-roofed basilica. After the abolition of the monastery, the church fell into disrepair. As a result, in the 16th century the southern aisle and in 1606 the two choir aisles were demolished. Between 1819 and 1831 the northern aisle was removed and the originally square choir was shortened. The sculptural work in this church is quite fantastic. Both in terms of quality and originality. The same capital from a different angle.

Santo Domingo de Silos is a village with a population of about 300 - and at least one nice hotel. The first monastery was founded here in the Visigoth period (~ 590), but this monastery did not survive the Muslim period. A monastery was founded here again in 929, but it came to a standstill again after the raids under Almansor in the last quarter of the 10th century. In 1002 the monastery was destroyed and had to be founded again. During the term of abbot Domingo de Silos from 1041- 1073, the monastery was strongly supported by King Ferdinand I, who was in power 1035 - 1065. Under Abbot Domingo, construction began on a Romanesque church with three naves, a transept and five apses. The consecration took place in 1088 before the construction as a whole was completed after the turn of the 12th century. After abbot Domingo's death, his veneration began and the monastery adopted him as its patron saint. It was called Santo Domingo de Silos from about 1110. In the 18th century, there was a need for a larger church. The Romanesque church was demolished and replaced by a baroque new building. The Romanesque cloister has two stories. The lower floor was of course built sometime earlier than the upper floor. The dates are disputed. The oldest parts may date from the late tenure of Saint Domingo. The upper one was completed around 1160/80. Can anybody decipher the inscription over the capital?

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site. Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León. In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery. There are interesting capitals along the nave Musicians and dancers to the left - Lion tamers to the right

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site. Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León. In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery. There are interesting capitals along the nave. Devouring beasts

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site. Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León. In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery. There are interesting capitals along the nave. Wrestling

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site. Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León. In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery. There are interesting capitals along the nave. Cuddling a lion

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site. Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León. In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery. There are interesting capitals along the nave. A mermaid