Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: coquille

A Roman oppidum here was founded in the 2nd century BC. In 406 "Pistorium" was destroyed by the Visigoths. After reconstruction, the city came under Byzantine rule. In the 8th century it experienced a brief heyday under the Lombards. In the 12th century Pistoia was an independent comune with a lively economy and rapid urban expansion. The second city wall was built at this time. This quadrupled the walled city area compared to the first wall from the 7th to 8th centuries. However, the city's development was then hampered by internal fighting between the Ghibellines and Guelphs and the rivalry between the neighboring cities of Florence and Lucca. In the 14th century, Pistoia finally succumbed to Florentine power. With the founding of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Pistoia finally became part of the Medicean sphere of power. Cosimo I de' Medici had the third city wall built, which still exists today. The balcony of the Palazzo di Giano, today the seat of the city council, is decorated with a St. Jacques flag.

Already in the 7th century, it was the location of a fortified Slavonic settlement, at a ford in the Vistula river. Thorn was established in 1231 under the administration of the Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Order had been called earlier by the Polish Duke Conrad of Mazovia to Christianize the pagan Baltic Pruzzes. However, the Order became active only after Emperor Frederick II granted it the right to rule over the land to be conquered in 1226. The foundation stone of the city of Thorn was laid in 1231 and soon after immigrants from Westphalia populated the town. In the 14th century, Thorn joined the Hanseatic League. The Order's efforts to simultaneously expand its sovereignty and control trade led to warlike conflicts. The city was captured by Poland in 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War however, after the First Peace of Thorn was signed in 1411, the city fell back to the Teutonic Order. In the 1420s, Polish King Władysław II Jagiełło built the Dybów Castle, located in present-day left-bank Toruń. In 1440, the gentry of Thorn co-founded the Prussian Confederation to further oppose the Knights' policies. The Confederation rose against the Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights in 1454 and its delegation submitted a petition to Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon asking him to regain power over the region as the rightful ruler. These events led to the Thirteen Years' War. The citizens of the city conquered the Teutonic castle and dismantled the fortifications. In May 1454, a ceremony was held in Toruń, during which the nobility, knights, landowners, mayors, and local officials solemnly swore allegiance to the Polish King. During the war, Toruń financially supported the Polish Army. The Thirteen Years' War ended in 1466, with the Second Peace of Thorn, in which the Teutonic Order renounced any claims to the city and recognized it as part of Poland. During the Great Northern War (Deluge), the city was besieged by Swedish troops. In the second half of the 17th century, tensions between Catholics and Protestants grew. In the early 18th century about half of the population, especially the gentry and middle class, was German-speaking and Protestant, while the other half was Polish-speaking Roman Catholic. The old town of Torun is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - St. Jakub (St. James) was built from 1309 to the 15th century. The cornerstone for the construction was laid by Bishop Herman in 1309. In the same year, the construction of the presbytery began, which was covered with a stellar vault, In the 14th century, the parish was started to be managed by the cisterns, then the Benedictine nuns. In the years 1557-1667 the parish church belonged to the Evangelical community, then it was regained by the Benedictine nuns, who managed the temple until the 19th century. From then to the present day the parish church. Due to the characteristic shape and the many architectural details the church is one of the important examples of brick architecture in the Baltic Sea area. This church was a halt on the long "Camino" to Santiago de Compostella. One of the frescoes that have survived the passage of time depicts St. Jaques with hat (coquille) and the pilgrim's staff.

In medieval times Visan had a parish church, dedicated to Saint Martin, outside the town walls. When this burnt down end of the 15th century it was decided to erect a new church inside the town. The building of Saint Pierre started in 1498, the tower was completed about 1600. As one of the side-chapels is dedicated to Saint Jacques it's no surprise to find a "coquille" here.

The very last signpost, before I reached Portiers. Just below the the "Coquille St. Jacques" an unknown person, named "Theo", had left the note "Je ne suis pas un être mais une existence".

Having passed a golf course, the Roman road I was on, crossed the D82. The center of Saint-Cyr is to the right, but I continue straight ahead. The "Coquille St. Jacques" tells me, that I am on the right way.

Châtellerault has been a halt for the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela from the very beginning - and of course they all of them stopped at this church to pray. The construction of the church started in 1008 on the ruins of the chapel of an even older Saint-Jacques priory. In the heydays of the pilgrimage numerous hospices, inns and "auberges", all centered around this church, offered their services. This large, wooden statue of Saint Jacques is placed on a side aisle of the church. When it was carved within the 17th century, these heydays were already long ago.

Crossing the Creuse, I left the region "Centre-Val de Loire" and entered "Poitou-Charentes". According to my map the village was named "Port-de-Piles", but the creator of this large board had shortened the name to "Port-de-Pile".

Here the Via Turonensis leaves Sorigny and turns left. Somebody created this very encouraging decoration for the "pelerins".

Audressein is a tiny village (pop ~120) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. One of the many old pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostella once followed the valley. When "Notre-Dame-de-Tramesaygues" was erected within the 14th century, there were still many pilgrims passing through here. As the confluence of two rivers is near the church "Tramesaygues" may mean "between waters". The porch of the church has three entries. Most of the walls are covered with frescoes. One depicts Saint James / Saint Jaques with the "coquille" on his hat. To his left side is a "campus stellae", what reminds the pilgrim that he is on his way to "San Tiago de Compostella".