Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: tongue-protruder

Since 1554, when the Reformation spread from Bern to Grandson, this church is the Evangelical Reformed parish church of the small, quaint town at the banks of the Lake Neuchâtel. Most of the structure seen today was erected after 1178, when the lords of Grandson had founded a Benedictian priory,dependent on La Chaise-Dieu in the Auvergne, about 400kms southwest. Inside the nave facing east to the gothic choir. It seems, that the iconoclasms of the Swiss Reformation did not harm the church, all capitels are "in situ" and intact. Most of the column shafts are - Roman! They were probably hauled to Grandson for recycling from the vast ruins of Aventicum the Roman capital of the Swiss area during Vespasian´s time. Today "Avenches" is a small town about 40kms east on the other side of the lake. The church is extremly well preserved and very tastefully furnished. This is by far the strangest (and so most interesting) capital in Grandson. While most other capitals are carved very masterly, this one seems rough. Only three sides are visible. It is populated by a group of strange, grimacing people, who show their teeth or tongue. This makes clear, that the person is not performing a strange bavarian dance. He is a "spinario", trying to pull a thorn out of his naked foot. Ray ("adfinem") recently uploaded a very elegant "spinario" and published some excellent information, so follow the link below - and compare them.

The small church was the chapel of the medieval castle, that today is completely lost. It was devoted to St. Laurentius over the the first centuries, but the devotion changed to St. Leonhard in the early 16th century. Since then it has served the hamlet as a parish church. A chain spans all around the nave. The chain is a symbol of St. Leonhard. As he is not only the patron saint for prisoners, but as well for horses, it may well be that the first chain was made from horseshoes, votive offerings left here after the horses were given a special St.Leonhard-blessing. The church was consecrated in 1190 by the Bishop of Regensburg, representing his collegue from Eichstaett, who was not available, being on the cruisade at that time. A frieze of 13 heads runs around the apse. What an elaborate work for such a small, rural church. The peasants around wondered about these carvings over the centuries and a legend was told, that a giant had built this church. Here are details: A hare - a tongue protruder - a bearded face

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. Next to the entrance door is this interisting combination. The tongue-protruder wears dread locks and has bulging eyes! This rough, but pretty unique style can only be found inside Saint-Trojan.

This was an important place already in pre-Roman times, known to Strabo as the city of "Orgialla". A bishopric existed already in 527, when the Bishop of Urgell attended a council in Toledo. The bishopric here was (and still) is an important one, even the name "La Seu d'Urgell" translates to See of Urgell, and still today the Bishop of Urgell is co-prince of Andorra (The other co-prince is the French president. We will "meet" Mr. Hollande later). The Cathedral of Santa Maria dates back to the 12th century. It had three predecessors. One of these older cathedrals was consecrated in 839 by Bishop Sisebut in the presence of Sunifred I, father of Wilfred the Hairy (aka Guifré el Pilós), whome we had met so often in Catalonia. Bishop Otto of Urgell (1095-1122) initiated the present cathedral, planned and built by the architect (a term unknown in that time) "Raimundus Lambardus", but the building remained unfinished for quite a while, due to fights between the diocese and the Count Roger I of Foix, who prefered the Albingensian "heresy". In 1195 La Seu d'Urgell was sieged and looted - and at that time the present cathedral was used as a fortress. Of course over the next centuries many parts were added and remodelled. Josep Puig i Cadafalch, actually an architect connected to the "Modernista", led the reconstruction of the whole complex from 1918 on. The cloister, south of the Cathedral of Santa Maria, has many carved capitals, of which some are very mystical. The monkeys, that got portrayed in this cloister, must have been a special breed, as they are extremly provocative. Here they stick the tongues out at then human onlookers. The palm tree inbetween the monkeys is "classic".