Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Augustinian canons

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Corpus Christi Basilica was founded around 1340 by Casimir III the Great as a parish church in Kazimierz, a new town built on an island on the Vistula south of the Old Town. The church was expanded in 1385 in the brick Gothic style by the master builders Mikołaj Czipser and Jan Czipser. In 1405 Ladislaus II Jagiełło brought canons from an Augustinian canonry in Bohemia to build an Augustinian canonry in Kazimierz. The interior of the church is a mixture of Gothic and Baroque architecture. The church was robbed clean and the interior was utterly devastated by soldiers of the 1655 Swedish invasion (the Deluge), which explains the prevalence of Baroque in its current decoration.

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Corpus Christi Basilica was founded around 1340 by Casimir III the Great as a parish church in Kazimierz, a new town built on an island on the Vistula south of the Old Town. The church was expanded in 1385 in the brick Gothic style by the master builders Mikołaj Czipser and Jan Czipser. In 1405 Ladislaus II Jagiełło brought canons from an Augustinian canonry in Bohemia to build an Augustinian canonry in Kazimierz.

The monastery was founded in 885 by Wilfred the Hairy as one of the first nunneries in Catalonia. First abbess here was his daughter Emma. At that time her brother Radulf was abbot in nearby Ripoll, where Wilfred had founded a monastery as well. A family business! The church of the nunnery was consecrated in 887, but already in 1017, by request of Bernard I of Besalú, a papal bull suppressed the nunnery. Bernard then established a community of monks. In 1114 Augustinian canons took possession of the monastery, ruled by local abbots until 1484. In 1592 the monastery was secularized and converted into a simple collegiate that was given up in 1856. The church has a single nave and a wide transept. The transept opens to to five apses. Many carved capitals can be found in the dim building - and Wilfred the Hairy´s "crown" is on display here. Another surprise, as not only the beardpullers are outside and inside the church, the elephants as well. These elephants are really identical to the cousins outside the apse.

The monastery was founded in 885 by Wilfred the Hairy as one of the first nunneries in Catalonia. First abbess here was his daughter Emma. At that time her brother Radulf was abbot in nearby Ripoll, where Wilfred had founded a monastery as well. A family business! The church of the nunnery was consecrated in 887, but already in 1017, by request of Bernard I of Besalú, a papal bull suppressed the nunnery. Bernard then established a community of monks. In 1114 Augustinian canons took possession of the monastery, ruled by local abbots until 1484. In 1592 the monastery was secularized and converted into a simple collegiate that was given up in 1856. The current church dates back to the 12th century, though it got largely restored after an earthquake in 1428. It has a single nave, a wide transept and five apses. A capital of the extraordenary decorated central apse depicts elephants, a very rare species on medieval capitals. The elephants, seen here, are pretty "exact" and realistic. The ratio body/head and head/trunk is very well, only the ears are missing and the feet look strange. The first elephant, who is recorded in Europe (after Roman times), was Abul Abbas, presented to Charlemagne by Harun al-Rashid. Abul Abbas reached Aix-la-Chapelle in 802. The second elephant recorded is the "Cremona Elephant", presented by Sultan Al-Kamil to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1229. In 1255 Louis IX of France (aka "Saint Louis") brought an elephant home from the 6th cruisade. This one was given to Henry III of England and died in London in 1258. So during the 12th century, when this capital was carved, there was no elephant in Europe, what has led to the speculation, to see these elephants as carved by moorish carvers, who may have had different experiences/backgrounds.