Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Carennac

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the village suffered great damage. As by wonder, the tympanum (see previous uploads) survived. Most houses of the priory and the village did not. The cloister got destroyed got rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century. So only some parts of the cloister in Carennac are Romanesque.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the village suffered great damage. As by wonder, the tympanum (see previous uploads) survived. Most houses of the priory and the village did not. The cloister got destroyed got rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century. So only some parts of the cloister in Carennac are Romanesque.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. The capitals in the nave as well as in the narthex are carved in a pretty rough style, compared to the masterly carved tympanum of Sanit-Pierre. The carvings here may be a century (or less) older than the tympanum. This is the left side of the (inner) portal. It is inside the narthex and so not very weathered. There is a lion to the very left. To see from this pov are two pairs of birds on the left and two lions on the right capital. Compared to the tympanum (only bout 2 meters apart, a very rough work. Above is an inscription - a signature, that is hard to read - and very long. GIRBERTUS - CEMENTARIUS - FECIT ISTUM PORTARIUM - BENEDICTA SIT ANIMA EIUS Girbertus, the mason, created this portal, blessed be his soul. This is the longest medieval signature I have ever seen - and the first with a "job title".

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. The capitals in the nave as well as in the narthex are carved in a pretty rough style, compared to the masterly carved tympanum of Sanit-Pierre. The carvings here may be a century (or less older) than the tympanum. Here is one of the interior capitals, depicting a mystic, winged animal.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. The sun was going down, when we walked back to the chambre d'hôtes. Now we could see Saint-Pierre from east. The structure has a square choir. This is uncommon for the 11th century. As the village suffered strongly under the Hundred Years War, that caused a lot of damage here. The choir may be erected, when the rebuilding process had started in the second half of the 15th century.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. Standing in the nave next morning, facing east to the choir. Sunlight floods in through the large choir-window, but in the nave it is pretty dark, as there are no clearstories. The capitals in the nave as well as in the narthex are carved in a pretty rough style, compared to the masterly carved tympanum of Sanit-Pierre. The carvings here may be a century (or less older) than the tympanum.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. An impressive tympanum was created in the second half of the 12th century. Beyond the facade is a small narthex. I pass through this narthex, leaving the church, as it was already too dark to take photos inside.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. An impressive tympanum was created in the second half of the 12th century. The tympanum depicts Christ in Majesty in the centre of a large mandorla. On either side are the Apostles, grouped pairs. All around the tympanum runs a frieze, populated with animals. Here is pilose quadruped with a collar. A bear, a dog?

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. An impressive tympanum was created in the second half of the 12th century. The tympanum depicts Christ in Majesty in the centre of a large mandorla. On either side are the Apostles, grouped pairs. (See previous uploads) Here are four of these apostles. The seem to communicate and are gesticulating. The apostles are very elaborately carved and are seated on individual thrones.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. An impressive tympanum was created in the second half of the 12th century. Here is the centre of that tympanum. Under the sun (?), Christ in Majesty sits enthroned in the centre of a large mandorla, one hand on the bible, the other in a blessing gestus. The Evangelists´ symbols flank the mandorla. The mandorla has many drilled holes, that may have been once bases for glass-stones, but that is unproven.

Carennac is a very picturesque village perching above the banks of the Dordogne river. The village is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". Not much seems to have changed within the last centuries. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. The impressive tympanum, seen here, was created in the second half of the 12th century. Christ in Majesty sits enthroned in the centre of a large mandorla, one hand on the bible, the other in a blessing gestus. The Evangelists´ symbols flank the mandorla. On either side are the Apostles, grouped pairs and obviously the Apostles are communicating. One statue is lost. On the bottom corners are two small monks (?), holding books. The mandorla has a row of drilled holes, that may have been once bases for glass-stones, but that is unproven. Note the nice lintel. There are animals, carved in a very different style.

Carennac, a very picturesque village on the banks of the Dordogne river, is one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de Franc". There are many tourists here in August and we were lucky, to get the last very room in the chambre d'hôtes. In 1047 a priory had been founded here, depending from the Benedictine abbey Saint-Pierre in Moissac and so woven into the "Cluniac system". Saint-Pierre, now the parish church of Carennac, was erected within the 11th/12th century. The narthex and the impressive facade, seen here, were the last parts, that got completed.