Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: duck

Maulbronn Monastery was founded in 1147. The church, built in a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic, was consecrated in 1178. Most other buildings followed within the 13th century. The complex is believed to be one of the the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex north of the Alpes (some claim "in Europe"). Since 1993 Maulbronn is part of the Unesco World Heritage. After the consecration, a large narthex was added to the church. This narthex ("Paradies") is done in a really remarkable architectural, early gothic style. The narthex was planned and built before 1200 probably by a genius, who had experiences from Northern France and Burgundy. The monastery had all the cistercian connections, so it was easy to find a "top architect". His name is not known, so the name given to him by art historians is "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" (Master of Maulbronn Paradise). He created not only the narthex, but as well parts of the cloister and the refectorium, so we will meet him again. Another close up of the wooden door. The medieval artist blacksmith, who created the iron works in 1200, seems to have had a certain sense of humour. He added this little bird. Knowing that Cistercians always had lots of ponds around the monasteries and were experts in fish farming, this is -maybe- a duck.

The restaurant "Les Cours de la Cité" offers a shady terrace and serves a delicious cassoulet. The area around Carcassonne and Castelnaudary is the "homeland" of this traditional dish. lescoursdelacite.com/index.php?lang=en

The "Basilica di San Vitale" was erected on an octagonal plan from 526 on, when Ravenna was under the rule of the Ostrogoths, followers of the Arianism. It was completed and got consecrated in 547, when Ravenna was part of the Byzantine Empire. The church combines Roman with Byzantine elements. It is most famous for its wealth of Byzantine mosaics, the largest and best preserved outside of Constantinople. It is one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture in Europe. The impact, that this church had on the Wesern European architecture, can hardly be overestimated. The Palatine Chapel in Aachen, commisioned by Charlemagne, has strong parallels to San Vitale. Not only walls and ceilings are covered with fantastic Byzantine mosaics (see previous uploads), the floor has mosaics as well. Here are three water fowls.

During a festival in France the audience will sing and dance and eat and drink. A "barquette" with french fries with duck´s breast was the staple food in Cahors - and of course we had red wine with the duck. Cool rosé for dessert..

These 15 ducklings are the pride of the single mother..

There had been a small community of monks here, that end of the 11th century joined the important Benedictian Abbaye royale of Saint-Jean-d'Angély (20kms northwest), that was part of the cluniac network. The Abbaye royale got wealthy through the thousands of pilgrims on the Via Turonensis. They all stopped to see the relic of John the Baptist, before they continued, and obviously left some coins. The abbey could afford to build a prestigious abbey church for the monastic comunity in Marestay (now Matha) at the same time, when Saint-Hérie (see previous uploads), just 2kms apart from here, was erected. Probably the same monks, lay brothers and workers toiled on two construction sides in long double shifts. During the Wars of Religion many curches within the whole area got ruined and mutilated. In Saint-Herie, 2kms south, only two walls of the Romanesque church are still in place. Here the complete nave is missing. After the "Edict of Nantes" got revoked in 1685, all Huguenots living in Matha were evicted and exiled. Following that all protestant churches existing in the town got leveled to the ground. The only parts of Saint-Pierre that survived the incredible fury are the transepts, the crossing and the apse (seen here). Despite this structure is really "short", there is a lot to find, as most elaborate carvings around the apse are untouched. Here is one of the apse-windows. The masterly carved archivolts have geometric foliage and grapes. The four capitals are populated by (left to right) - two roosters, - two harpies with snake-tails and only one bearded head, - a man, entangled in the forest by vines, - two ducks, see the feet and the beak. It may depicts the known world (surface) on the outer capitals and the dangerous, unknown world (underground) on the inner capitals.