Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: gallery

The monastery was founded after the death of King Heinrich I (Henry the Fowler) in 936 by Siegfried of Merseburg, brother of Margrave Gero the Great, and his second wife Guthia. The first Benedictine monks were sent from Corvey (Westphalia), whose priory was Groningen. From 1247 the bishops of Halberstadt were bailiffs of the monastery, which was dissolved after the Reformation in 1550. The monastery church of St. Vitus was consecrated in 940 by Abbot Volkmar I from Corvey, but this church does not exist anymore. From the beginning to about the middle of the 12th century, the present church was rebuilt as a Romanesque three-nave flat-roofed basilica. After the abolition of the monastery, the church fell into disrepair. As a result, in the 16th century the southern aisle and in 1606 the two choir aisles were demolished. Between 1819 and 1831 the northern aisle was removed and the originally square choir was shortened. The sculptural work in this church is quite fantastic. Both in terms of quality and originality. The gallery was built around 1170, the parapet shows Jesus as the judge of the world surrounded by the apostles. The Last Judgement. The heads of the figures stand out from the wall in a fully three-dimensional manner. This is a "copy" made in 1902. The original is now in the Bode Museum in Berlin. Here is the original: recherche.smb.museum/detail/1363738/westempore-der-klosterkirche-zu-gr%c3%b6ningen

The parish of Kalkhorst is mentioned in 1230 in a list of villages belonging to the Ratzeburg diocese At the same time the village church of Kalkhorst was built. It was erected by the lords of the village. The church of today stands out because of the irregularity of its ground plan and the many additions and alterations. The square tower stands asymmetrically in front. The choir is dated to around 1350 based on an epitaph and replaced a previous building. The nave is attributed to the 13th century, so it is the older part of the building. The baroque furnishings from the beginning of the 18th century. The rich, noble estate owners had their own richly decorated galleries, while their workers and servants had to sit below them.

Like all places along the Adriatic coast, Bisceglie has Greek and Roman roots, but after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the area was not really "developed". First small monasteries were founded, when the Lombards ruled the area before the Saracens took over for three decades in the 9th century. Around 1000 the Normans arrived in Southern Italy. A vassal of Robert Guiscard became Count of Trani in 1042. At that time the fortification of the place, that is Bisceglie now, started. In 1063 the bishopric of Bisceglie was established and the construction of the cathedral was started. The building was completed already around 1100, but then the alterations started, that over the centuries ruined the "original" church. The last restoration tried to recreate its former glory, what at that time meant to get out all of the suffocating Baroque addons of the late 18th century. The gallery

Like all places along the Adriatic coast, Bisceglie has Greek and Roman roots, but after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the area was not really "developed". First small monasteries were founded, when the Lombards ruled the area before the Saracens took over for three decades in the 9th century. Around 1000 the Normans arrived in Southern Italy. A vassal of Robert Guiscard became Count of Trani in 1042. At that time the fortification of the place, that is Bisceglie now, started. In 1063 the bishopric of Bisceglie was established and the construction of the cathedral was started. The building was completed already around 1100, but then the alterations started, that over the centuries ruined the "original" church. The last restoration tried to recreate its former glory, what at that time meant to get out all of the suffocating Baroque addons of the late 18th century. Thanks to a very friendly signore ("gracie mille", I was able to enter the gallery and see the nave from above. While the capitals of the nave got destroyed, the small ones of the gallery are still complete.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". I was told, search the EDELWEISS. I found it and so had found the entrance to the backyard, where Kunsträume ("art spaces") is located. The Michael Horbach foundation opened a gallery here in 2011, that has a very large photograhpic collection. Well worth a visit! www.michael-horbach-stiftung.de/art-spaces.html

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 transept and a crossing tower, a later added narthex added and a gothic part. Looking across the nave to the entrance on the southern side entrance (the portal outside is recent). There is a clear architectoral structure. The bays, and above the gallery and the clerestory behind. This may not seem spectacular, but it is, as it is at least 50 years older, than the well known churches, having this layout.

Early morning in Mosnac (aka "Mosnac sur Seugne"). The parish church Saint Saturnin dates back to the 12th century. The single nave church is dedicated to Saint Saturnin, the first bishop of Toulouse (= Saint Sernin). I was lucky - the gallery was open! The church got enlarged by an aisle (left) in the 15th century. - Note the yellow capitals in the choir. At some time, an ungifted artist had painted these capitals of the choir. He converted all medieval animals into zebra-chimeras!

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very elaborate works of art up on the capitals. Here is the psychostasia, the "Weighing of souls", seen on the previous upload, but, now more detailled. Within the 12th/13th century Saint-Eutrope was the most important church in the area, so the style seen here and the icons will have been very influential. The devil here is dotted with pimples, just like the devil seen on the psychostasia capital in Saujon (30kms west).

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very elaborate works of art up on the capitals. From right to left: A fight between lions and birds, an icon often seen all over the Saintonge. A lion, hidden in the vines, creeping up on a human (hard to see, only the face can be seen at the corner). A psychostasia, the "Weighing of souls". Within the 12th/13th century Saint-Eutrope was the most important church in the area, so the style seen here and the icons will have been very influential. No wonder that there are three psychostasiae within only 30 kms.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very sophisticated and elaborate works of art up on the capitals. This is a more detailled photo of "Daniel in the Den of Lions", just seen.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very sophisticated and elaborate works of art up on the capitals. Here is Daniel in the Den of Lions.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very sophisticated and elaborate works of art up on the capitals. Here is one. A symmetrical pattern out of men - lions - birds. It goes on and on and on, typical for the "style saintongeais".

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very sophisticated and elaborate works of art up on the capitals. This is a more detailed photo of the capital, just seen before.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. Not all carvings here have the same "quality". Some are really sophisticated and elaborate, some are pretty simple, the mermaids seen here, probably relatives to the maids seen before, are a little bit clumsy.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. Not all carvings here have the same "quality". Some are really sophisticated and elaborate, some are pretty simple. This is a more simple one, depicting two mermaids.It is the same capital seen before, but now seen from a different pov. The mermaid does not seem to be very amused up there.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. After a while I found, that the gate at the the wooden stair. leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. Not all carvings here have the same "quality". Some are really sophisticated and elaborate, some are pretty simple. This is a more simple one, depicting two mermaids with nice braids. I will upload more mermaids next, as there is a whole swarm of them here.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. After a while I found, that the gate at the the wooden stair. leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here.

An oratorium here is recorded already in 996. Count Guifred Cabreta, grandson of Wilfred the Hairy (a person I was interested in since ages. We will "meet" him later) donated land and funds for the erection of a monastery in atonement for the murder of his own son. The abbey was built around the older oratorium and already 1009 a church was consecrated and dedicated to Saint Martin by the Bishop of Elne, who was Count Guifred´s brother. In the document a monk named Sclua is mentioned as the builder. Sclua may have been, what was later called an architect. In 1012 the relics of Saint Gauderique were transferred to Saint-Martin, adding importance to the place. Following a medievial tradition (eg William of Gellone, Bernard II, Lord of Lippe) Count Guifried later left his wife, quit his worldy (sinful) life and entered the Benedictian convent here as a monk. He died at this monastery in 1049. Shortly after that the importance of the monastery dwindeled dramatically. An earthquake ruined the monastery in 1428. The rebuilding took decades. The small, remote convent was later threatend by food-shortage as well as by gangs of smugglers and raiders, who filled the frontier area with terror, the monastery was secularized. In 1781 the last five monks and the abbot left the buildings. The complex fell into disrepair and were used as a stone quarry by local home-builders. In 1902 the bishop of Elne and Perpignan bought the ruins and started a pretty radical restauration. Some buildings were even added, to accomodate visitors. In 1922 a number of capitals could be bought back, that had once belonged to the cloister and "got lost" after the French Revolution. Even if this is not "original" in many aspects, even if it may "lack some character", like some authors wrote, it is a wonderful complex, and as Marcel Durliat wrote, a church "premier art roman méridional", as it is older than most of the other romanesque buildings in Southern France. In 1922 a number of capitals "returned home", after they had spent about a century in a villa in Vernet-les-Bains. It was known, that two cloisters had existed, similar to Elne. The lower one was built within the 11th, the upper one within the 12th century. As the exact place of the capitals could not be found out anymore, and only one cloister got (partly) reconstructed, an open gallery was erected. There are some capitals, made from reddish marble cut in quarries near Villefranche-de-Conflent (14kms north), are younger (12th), have a different geometry and show a totally different iconography, not using the well known patterns. These carvings are "storytelling", but in most cases I could not find the stories that are told. Even Marcel Durliat does not offer an explanation. This is the "backside" of the capital just seen, having a fish and the Rocabertí' escutcheon, as Ray/Adfinem found out. On the left is that bird with the branch again. A perfect fit, maybe one of the abbots came from the Rocabertí family. In a flyer I picked up, this capital was named "corn-capital", but actually corn (as well as pinapple) was not very widespread, before Columbus had reached the Bahamas. So in case it is a fruit, it may be a pomegranate, but it may as well be a pillar with a capital. On top of the right "capital" is a face. Another roughly carved face is just over that large animal. Actually all corners have that carving. The head of the large animal in the center is very damaged. I think, that this could well be an ape. The eye-brows and these furrows can often be seen at apes - plus - the profile of the animal on the right side - is very apelike.