Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: trio

In 74 BC, the Roman city was founded by Pompejus on the site of a local settlement. The city served to secure the Pyrenees crossing from Roncesvalles. Pamplona was destroyed several times in the course of its history: 466 by the Visigoths, 542 by the Franks, 778 by Charlemagne, 924 by Abd ar-Rahman III and in 1521 during the Franco-Spanish War by troops of Francis I. Its location on the Way of St. James from France gave the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre a boom in the 11th century. With the division of Navarre, the city ultimately came to Spain. After the conquest of the country and its incorporation into Castile in 1512-1515, Pamplona became one of the outposts of the Spanish crown on the French border. Its mission for 300 years was to secure the border against a possible invasion from France. Fortifications and walls were a vital system of defense, but at the same time prevented the city from expanding. The museum is located in the old hospital “Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia de Pamplona” from the 16th century. However, only the facade with the main entrance and the former chapel remain of the hospital. The Leyre Casket (Arqueta de Leyre) This is one of the jewels of Hispano-Arab Islamic art. The casket was carved during the Caliphate of Cordoba. The year of production is given as 395 AH (1004/1005 CE).  The casket was produced for ʿAbd al-Malik, political and military leader of the caliphate from 1002 to 1008. ʿAbd al-Malik is best known for being the son of Almanzor, vizier of Hisham II, but also military leader and strong politician of the caliphate. At some point, as Christian kingdoms raided or conquered al-Andalus, the casket came into Christian hands and was donated to the Monastery of Leyre (from which it takes its name).  At Leyre the casket was repurposed as a reliquary to hold the remains of Saints Nunilo and Alodia, believed to have been executed as apostates during persecutions of Christians by ʿAbd al-Raḥman II, emir of Cordoba, on the mid-ninth century. The casket was later held by the Church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa and the Treasury of the Cathedral of Pamplona. A detail

A priory had existed here already from 768 on. The Benedictine abbey was founded 1088, the church of today was built in the 12th century replacing a previous, smaller church, erected probably in the 10th century. The abbey belonged to the Sacra di San Michele Abbey in Piedmont (more than 700 kms east). The church was strongly fortified and had battlements, watchtowers and even moats at that time. The facade got heavily vandalized during the French Revolution, when the rioting revolutionists used hammers to destroy sculptures and carvings. Obviously the vandals could not enter the interior. All the capitals along the nave are undamaged. Here are three flutists. Actually I have never seen such complex flutes. Maybe one of the "pre-1800"-experts can tell me something about.

A young, ambitious trio speeding over the wall on a skateboard. They are watched by a dog, who is a direct descendant of Keith Haring´s wiener dog. Da Da Da

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. The facades differ clearly. Saint-Trojan has a less intricate portal with two blind arches, an architectonial design typical for the "style saintongeais". Carved capitals top the four pillars of the facade. One of them has this trio of heads. The right one may be a devil, judging from his punkish hairstyle. Somehow the faces have a Baroque touch.

This church, in the center of an old graveyard, dates back to the 12th century. The apse is dated ca. 1130. The portal, seen here was created 1150/1160. The church got modified a couple of times over the century - and restored within the 19th century. Léo Drouyn, regional artist, collegue of Viollet-le-Duc and rediscoverer of the Romanesque art, described these arches as the "most beautiful pieces of Romanesque sculpture within the department". Two structures have surely influenced the masters, working in Castelviel. These are the former abbeys "Saint-Maurice de Blasimon" and "La Sauve-Majeure", both not far away. This portal is carved in a typical style, found in the Gironde, the Saintonge, the Charente and the Poitou, carved from a soft, white (unfortunately weathering) stone. There is no tympanum, but many archivolts and capitals. Here is a trio. The left musician holds a vielle, the right one plays a harp or a psaltery. The female person (note the sleeves) is probably a dancer, doing a Mick-Jagger-pose.