Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: 56

A church existed here already within the 9th century. Excavations proved, that this the structure was erected on the foundation of a Roman temple. The church, dedicated to Saint Cyr de Tarse and his mother Sainte Juliette, was built within the 11th and 12th century. It got enlarged many times, the transept with the Gothic tracery window dates to the 15th century.

A church existed here already within the 9th century. Excavations proved, that this the structure was erected on the foundation of a Roman temple. The church, dedicated to Saint Cyr de Tarse and his mother Sainte Juliette, seen here was built within the 11th and 12th century. It got enlarged many times, the transept with the Gothic tracery window dates to the 15th century.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few. Here is one of the many capitals. To the right an evail "man-eater", to the right martyr Saint Lawrence, placed on a gridiron, with coals beneath it. He is the patron saint for chefs and cooks, as legend tells, that after a while he told the torturer "I'm well done now. Turn me over."

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few.

The church is a former abbey church, built on a steep drop from 1050 on. Over the centuries the church got "modernized" a couple of times, but the nave (45 meters long!) is still clearly Romanesque.

The church is a former abbey church, built on a steep drop from 1050 on. It has an imposing portal with some rough (granite!) carvings. Here are two of the flanking capitals.

The church is a former abbey church, built on a steep drop from 1050 on. It has an imposing portal - here only partly seen

Constructed within the 14th and 15th century, the château got destroyed during the French Revolution. It got rebuilt within the 19th century and today hosts a luxury hotel. No, I did not stay here overnight.

A church existed here already within the 9th century. Excavations proved, that this the structure was erected on the foundation of a Roman temple. The church, dedicated to Saint Cyr de Tarse and his mother Sainte Juliette, seen here was built within the 12th century. It got enlarged many times, but the sober Romanesque nave was obviously never altered.

A church existed here already within the 9th century. Excavations proved, that this the structure was erected on the foundation of a Roman temple. The church, dedicated to Saint Cyr de Tarse and his mother Sainte Juliette, seen here was built within the 12th century. It got enlarged many times, the transept with the Gothic tracery window dates to the 15th century.

The Carnac stones are a collection of megalithic sites consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. There are more than 3000 standing stones, probably erected between 4500 and 3300 BC. I had read about Carnac, but was not prepared for such a large, overwhelming and crowded scene. So I have decided to return to Carnac and spend two days (and not two hours!) here next time. Probably in winter, when all gates are open - and most tourists are at home. And maybe I should think about a quadcopter. Here is more info carnac.monuments-nationaux.fr/

The Carnac stones are a collection of megalithic sites consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. There are more than 3000 standing stones, probably erected between 4500 and 3300 BC. I had read about Carnac, but was not prepared for such a large, overwhelming and crowded scene. So I have decided to return to Carnac and spend two days (and not two hours!) here next time. Probably in winter, when all gates are open - and most tourists are at home. And maybe I should think about a quadcopter. Here is more info carnac.monuments-nationaux.fr/

The Carnac stones are a collection of megalithic sites consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. There are more than 3000 standing stones, probably erected between 4500 and 3300 BC. I had read about Carnac, but was not prepared for such a large, overwhelming and crowded scene. So I have decided to return to Carnac and spend two days (and not two hours!) here next time. Probably in winter, when all gates are open - and most tourists are at home. Here is more info carnac.monuments-nationaux.fr/

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. The person on the gridiron can only be the martyr Lawrence of Rome, who actually was born in Huesca (Aragon). The legend tells, that Saint Lawrence was placed on a gridiron, with coals beneath it. After a while, he told the torturers "I'm well done now. Turn me over" wonder that he is the patron saint for chefs and cooks.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. Often Catherine of Alexandria holds a wheel, sometimes she is even named "Saint Catherine of the Wheel". Catherine was sentenced to death on the breaking wheel, but, at her touch, this wheel was miraculously destroyed. As the wheel here is intact, the person seen cannot be Saint Catherine. Maybe this is apostle Simon the Zealot, as there is a saw as well. As Simon was martyred by being sawn in half, a saw can often be seen as his identifying attribute.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. A centaur is hunting a dodo. One arrow is already in the dodo´s beak, but the creature is not a dodo, but a chimera, as it has - not to be seen from this pov - the tail of a snake.