Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Provins

Odo II, Count of Blois (= "Eudes le Champenois"), who spent his life in endless feudal wars with his neighbours, whose territories he tried to annex, founded a collegiate for Canons Secular here around 1030. When Odo´s son Theobald the Great (= "Thibaut de Blois") tried to introduce the rules of the Canons Regular, he failed. His son Henry I (= "Henri le Libéral") funded the Canons, so that in 1157 the erection of the collegiate church, seen here, started. 10 years later, the choir was already completed. Within the next decades the transept and the nave´s eastern bay followed, before the progress slowed down, due to the dwindeling importance of the "Foires de Champagne", the annual trading faires. The works completely stopped and the church got finally consecrated in 1504. In 1625 the western facade was created, just by bricking up the nave. After a fire in 1662 the vaults collapsed, the church got rebuilt and a century later got an immense crossing tower. Here is a detail from the early Gothic choir, completed in 1167. The structure seems oversized. If the collegiate church would have been completed according to the floor plan of the mid 12th century, the dimnensions of this church would have been close to that of Notre-Dame in Paris.

Odo II, Count of Blois (= "Eudes le Champenois"), who spent his life in endless feudal wars with his neighbours, whose territories he tried to annex, founded a collegiate for Canons Secular here around 1030. When Odo´s son Theobald the Great (= "Thibaut de Blois") tried to introduce the rules of the Canons Regular, he failed. His son Henry I (= "Henri le Libéral") funded the Canons, so that in 1157 the erection of the collegiate church, seen here, started. 10 years later, the choir was already completed. Within the next decades the transept and the nave´s eastern bay followed, before the progress slowed down, due to the dwindeling importance of the "Foires de Champagne", the annual trading faires. The works completely stopped and the church got finally consecrated in 1504. In 1625 the western facade was created, just by bricking up the nave. After a fire in 1662 the vaults collapsed, the church got rebuilt and a century later got an immense crossing tower. The early Gothic choir, completed in 1167, seems oversized. If the collegiate church would have been completed according to the floor plan of the mid 12th century, the dimnensions of this church would have been close to that of Notre-Dame in Paris.

Odo II, Count of Blois (= "Eudes le Champenois"), who spent his life in endless feudal wars with his neighbours, whose territories he tried to annex, founded a collegiate for Canons Secular here around 1030. When Odo´s son Theobald the Great (= "Thibaut de Blois") tried to introduce the rules of the Canons Regular, he failed. His son Henry I (= "Henri le Libéral") funded the Canons, so that in 1157 the erection of the collegiate church, seen here, started. 10 years later, the choir was already completed. Within the next decades the transept and the nave´s eastern bay followed, before the progress slowed down, due to the dwindeling importance of the "Foires de Champagne", the annual trading faires. The works completely stopped and the church got finally consecrated in 1504. In 1625 the western facade was created, just by bricking up the nave. After a fire in 1662 the vaults collapsed, the church got rebuilt and a century later got an immense crossing tower.

Once a palace used by the Comtesses of Champagne the building became a "Hôtel-Dieu" mid of the 12th century, when lots of pilgrims headed to Provins. Later it was as well used by the foreign merchants attending the fairs and markets here. The building has extensive rooms and cellars underground. It was used as a hospital still in the 20th century, but meanwhile it houses exhibitions and is used for concerts.

In 1239 Thibaut IV de Champagne (= "Theobald I of Navarre"), Count of Champagne, had led the "Barons' Crusade" to the Holy Land. When he returned home, he carried a piece of the "True Cross" with him. This piece was kept in this church, that got built on swampy grounds. Destroyed by fire in the 14th century, the church got rebuilt again. During teh French Revolution, the nave was used as a gunpowder factury, while the choir wa converted into a "Temple of Reason". The church was built with wooden foundations. Due to the unstable ground many backfillings were necessery. After the draining of the marsh the old foundations started to disintegrate and the church sank again, so it is under constant monitoring and restoration. The piece of the Holy Cross was not the only souvenir Thibaut IV de Champagne brought home. It is said, that he introduced the "Damask rose" to Provins. Cultivation of roses is still important, and rose honey and rose candies are offered in the shops.

When in 865 the Normans looted the famous abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (= Fleury Abbey), four monks from there saved the relics of Saint-Ayoul, a martyred Bishop of Bourges, by transferring the body secretly to a small chapel in Provins. In 996 the relics were re-found here, a church was built over the tomb and a priory founded. Provins developed into a place of pilgrimage. The church burnt down in 1157 and got immediately rebuilt. It got remodeled and enlarged many times until the sixteenth century. During the French Revolution the church got vandalized, then the priory was sold and the church was used for storage. After it was bought back, the church got restored in the 20th century. While Saint-Ayoul´s portal dates from around 1160 (after the fire) and is carved in a soft early-Gothic style, some capitals must have survived the fire. Here is a "Luxuria", that must have been part of the older structure.

When in 865 the Normans looted the famous abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (= Fleury Abbey), four monks from there saved the relics of Saint-Ayoul, a martyred Bishop of Bourges, by transferring the body secretly to a small chapel in Provins. In 996 the relics were re-found here, a church was built over the tomb and a priory founded. Provins developed into a place of pilgrimage. The church burnt down in 1157 and got immediately rebuilt. It got remodeled and enlarged many times until the sixteenth century. During the French Revolution the church got vandalized, then the priory was sold and the church was used for storage. After it was bought back, the church got restored in the 20th century. Saint-Ayoul´s portal got severely mutilated by the revolutionary vandals. The Angels, the Saints and the 24 "Elders of the Apocalypse" all lost their heads, But the Elders still hold their instruments and parfum bottles. Revelation 4:4 "Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads."

When in 865 the Normans looted the famous abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (= Fleury Abbey), four monks from there saved the relics of Saint-Ayoul, a martyred Bishop of Bourges, by transferring the body secretly to a small chapel in Provins. In 996 the relics were re-found here, a church was built over the tomb and a priory founded. Provins developed into a place of pilgrimage. The church burnt down in 1157 and got immediately rebuilt. It got remodeled and enlarged many times until the sixteenth century. During the French Revolution the church got vandalized, then the priory was sold and the church was used for storage. After it was bought back, the church got restored in the 20th century. Saint-Ayoul´s portal got severely mutilated by the revolutionary vandals. The elegant, slim jamb statues, carved in an early Gothic style. They remind me on statues I saw in Chartres - or Sangüesa.

When in 865 the Normans looted the famous abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (= Fleury Abbey), four monks from there saved the relics of Saint-Ayoul, a martyred Bishop of Bourges, by transferring the body secretly to a small chapel in Provins. In 996 the relics were re-found here, a church was built over the tomb and a priory founded. Provins developed into a place of pilgrimage. The church burnt down in 1157 and got immediately rebuilt. It got remodeled and enlarged many times until the sixteenth century. During the French Revolution the church got vandalized, then the priory was sold and the church was used for storage. After it was bought back, the church got restored in the 20th century. Saint-Ayoul´s early Gothic portal got severely mutilated by the revolutionary vandals. The trumeau and most of the tympanum got completely destroyed and are lost. They got replaced by the black metal parts.

When in 865 the Normans looted the famous abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (= Fleury Abbey), four monks from there saved the relics of Saint-Ayoul, a martyred Bishop of Bourges, by transferring the body secretly to a small chapel in Provins. In 996 the relics were re-found here, a church was built over the tomb and a priory founded. Provins developed into a place of pilgrimage. The church burnt down in 1157 and got immediately rebuilt. It got remodeled and enlarged many times until the sixteenth century. During the French Revolution the church got vandalized, then the priory was sold and the church was used for storage. After it was bought back, the church got restored in the 20th century.

Provins was home to one of the important "Champagne fairs" in medieval times, when the city was under the protection of Counts of Champagne. With a population of more than 70.000 Provins was one of the largest cities in France at that time. Meanwhile only about 12.000 people live in Provins, a "Ville d'art et d'histoire" and a "UNESCO World Heritage Site". It is known for its medieval fortifications, seen to the right is the Tour César (12th century) and its churches. One is the Collégiale Saint-Quiriace, seen to the left.