Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: wine

Ribeira Sacra is an area that stretches along the banks of the rivers Cabe, Sil and Miño. The town of Monforte de Lemos was designated as the capital of the area and is also the most populous town. The first written evidence of the town's name dates back to 1124, when the royals donated a "locum qui dicitur Rouoyra Sacrata". The name perhaps refers to the many hermitages and monasteries that had already been built here at that time. The Ribeira Sacra is also known for the quality of its wines. The vineyards, which follow the course of the river, are arranged in a system of stone steps along the riverbank and date back to Roman times, as the Romans already appreciated these wines. The spectacular Cañón del Sil is a gorge that covers the last 50 km before the Sil enters the Minho. The walls rise almost vertically up to 500 m from water level.

Ribeira Sacra is an area that stretches along the banks of the rivers Cabe, Sil and Miño. The town of Monforte de Lemos was designated as the capital of the area and is also the most populous town. The first written evidence of the town's name dates back to 1124, when the royals donated a "locum qui dicitur Rouoyra Sacrata". The name perhaps refers to the many hermitages and monasteries that had already been built here at that time. The Ribeira Sacra is also known for the quality of its wines. The vineyards, which follow the course of the river, are arranged in a system of stone steps along the riverbank and date back to Roman times, as the Romans already appreciated these wines.

The steep valley of the Douro, where the wine is grown.

South of Pons are some large vineyards, while in the north mainly corn was grown..

Around 1060 a small monastery was founded here, funded by William IV, Duke of Aquitaine (aka Fièrebrace - The Iron Arm). The building of the romanesque church started immediately and probably only took less than 10 years. This church is counted rightly to the crown jewels of the romanesque architecture in the Auvergne by Bernard Craplet ("Auverne romane"). What makes it so interesting is, that this is the oldest of the crown jewels, as this structure is about 50 years older than Notre-Dame-du-Port, Orcival and Issoire. But it nevertheless shows already all the specific touch, the romanesque style ahs in the Auvergne. Actually Bernard Craplet places this small church like a stepping stone between the (lost) romanesque cathedral of Étienne II/Pope Stephen II in Clermont and Notre-Dame-du-Port. Though the romanesque church is really small and not complete, this is one of the most important structures in the Auvergne. The Collégiale Saint-Victor et Sainte-Couronne (now parish church) consists out of three architectural parts. The romanesque church with a nave, two aisles and a transept, a later added narthex and a large gothic part. The building of the gothic church from around 1280 on, took about 200 years. There are many carved capitals in the romanesque nave. Some nice ones are around the crosssing. There are many carved capitals in the romanesque nave. Some nice ones are around the crosssing. Two men placed into a kind of garden, presenting a giant bunch of grapes (it is not a fir cone!). The dresses of the two differ clearly. The left one wears a chain mail, indicating, that he is a soldier, while the right one only wears very plain clothes with a rope as a belt. He may be the peasant. Cooperation between soldiers and peasants result in a great harvest. Maybe. But maybe this garden and it´s population may be a mythical one, as there was a "fishy"-couple on the other capital, probably depicting the same garden.

The parish church Saint-Sulpice in the village of Marignac was erected within the 12th century as part of a priory, founded here by the Charroux Abbey (120kms southeast). The church has a remarkable cloverleaf layout. The eastern part, seen here and the portal are still dating back to the first church here, while the outer walls of the nave have been rebuilt, after destruction by war. All around the eastern "cloverleaf" are carved corbels, pillar and capitals. Here is a corbel to the left, depicting a wine-grower, holding a barrel. The region is still known for the wine and spirits (Cognac is 30kms northeast). Hard tow say, what was to see on the capital. Two mermaids, flanking a howling creature?