Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: paradise

Mozac Abbey is one of the oldest monasteries in the Auvergne, dating back into Merovingian times. A legend tells that it was founded by Calminius (later Saint Calmin). He must have been pretty important and well off, as his name is connected to the foundations of three abbeys. He introduced the benedictian rules to the area, and brought (from Rome)a relic of Saint Peter and (from Agen) a relic of Saint Caprasius to Mozac. He got buried in the crypt of this church together with his wife Saint Namadie. Within the 9th century relics of Saint Austremonius, the first bishop of Clermont were transferred to Mozac, so already before Santiago de Compostella was on the map, this was a place of pilgrimage. In 1095 Mozac abbey got affiliated to Cluny, but was important enough, to have Hugue of Semur, nephew of Hugue of Cluny here as abbot. He was followed by Eustachius, brother of Petrus Venerabilis. Three churches could be traced here by archeologists, what can be seen today is "Mozac 3", a great church built within the first half of the 12th century. As most of "Mozac 3" got destroyed by a number earthquakes between 1437 and 1490. Actually only ruins can be seen. Apses, choir, ambulatory, radial chapels, transept and clerestorys were beyond repair, when the early reconstruction started - in gothic style. Most pillars and capitals of "Mozac 3" are still in place (in situ). Some / Most of the carvings here are so "perfect", that they seem to be much younger, even baroque, but all are - 12th century - romanesque. - Two men on their knees showing/presenting the fruits (grapes?) of a large, very symmetrical tree. The two men are naked within a mythical natural enviroment. Adam and Even were naked in the Garden of Eden, before they met the snake. But at that time, the couple was alone in the garden.

Already Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, may have funded a church, erected over the tomb of Saint Zeno, who, following the legends, was born in Mauretania and died around 380 in Verona. The erection of the present church began in the 9th century. Soon after San Zeno´s relics were translated into the new church. At that time Charlemagne´s son Pepin (aka "Pepin of Italy") resided in Verona and a large Benedictine monastery grew all around the church. When the Magyars invaded Italy in the early 10th century, the church got severely damaged, but the relics were not harmed, as they had been taken out and were hidden. In 967, a new church was built with the patronage of Otto I. On January 3, 1117, the church was damaged by an earthquake, that ruined so many buildings in Northern Italy. The church was restored and got enlarged in 1138. The façade is striking! It was created in two different stages. The portico and the portal were carved before 1138 by Niccolò (see "Duomo de Verona") and his school. During the second half of the 12th century Master Guglielmo ("Gugliemus") completed the facade. Here is an overview of the reliefs of right side, carved by Master Guglielmo. The low pair depicts Theodoric the Great riding into hell (see previous uploads). Above are scenes from the Garden of Eden - and a small lion playing the harp.

The abbey at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (originally known as Fleury Abbey) was founded on the banks of the Loire river mid 7th century. It is one of the oldest abbeys of the Benedictine rule in France. The story starts in 672, when some of its monks traveled to Montecassino (Italy), dug up the remains of St. Benedict of Nursia (+ 547) and his sister St. Scholastica and brought them home. After the relics had reached at Fleury Abbey it which was renamed Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire - and due to the relics became a major place of pilgrimage. Of course, this did not help when the Normans rowed up the Loire and burned the buildings of the monastery. But the convent recovered and rebuilt. A famous school and a scriptorium existed here in the late 10th century. The erection of the church started around 1071. When the church was consecrated in 1108, the long nave was not completed. The abbey thrived, but times got rougher. In 1562, the abbey was pillaged by Huguenots. The buildings were restored, but looted and destroyed again during the French Revolution. Saint-Benoît's monks left the abbey and so the history of the convent ended after more than 1100 years. The abbey church had escaped destruction and got restored in the 19th century. In 1944, the convent was refounded the abbey buildings were rebuilt by Benedictine monks after World War II. So the history of the convent was just interrupted for about 150 years. The choir got consecrated in 1108, it may well me, that the ambulatory and the four chapels were not finished then. But as Philip I of France (aka "the Amorous") died in July 1108 and as he had chosen this church as his burial place, there was a bit of a time pressure. The nave and the choir have some interesting capitals of different carving styles. This is, what happened after the stroll (see previous upload).Adam and Eve accepted the apple - and had to leave the Garden of Eden. Giant dragons are up in the sky.

The abbey at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (originally known as Fleury Abbey) was founded on the banks of the Loire river mid 7th century. It is one of the oldest abbeys of the Benedictine rule in France. The story starts in 672, when some of its monks traveled to Montecassino (Italy), dug up the remains of St. Benedict of Nursia (+ 547) and his sister St. Scholastica and brought them home. After the relics had reached at Fleury Abbey it which was renamed Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire - and due to the relics became a major place of pilgrimage. Of course, this did not help when the Normans rowed up the Loire and burned the buildings of the monastery. But the convent recovered and rebuilt. A famous school and a scriptorium existed here in the late 10th century. The erection of the church started around 1071. When the church was consecrated in 1108, the long nave was not completed. The abbey thrived, but times got rougher. In 1562, the abbey was pillaged by Huguenots. The buildings were restored, but looted and destroyed again during the French Revolution. Saint-Benoît's monks left the abbey and so the history of the convent ended after more than 1100 years. The abbey church had escaped destruction and got restored in the 19th century. In 1944, the convent was refounded the abbey buildings were rebuilt by Benedictine monks after World War II. So the history of the convent was just interrupted for about 150 years. The choir got consecrated in 1108, it may well me, that the ambulatory and the four chapels were not finished then. But as Philip I of France (aka "the Amorous") died in July 1108 and as he had chosen this church as his burial place, there was a bit of a time pressure. The nave and the choir have some interesting capitals of different styles. This looks like Adam and Eve go for a stroll through the Garden of Eden. The style reminds me on carvings from Burgundy

Saint-Pardoux was erected in the second half of the 12th century as a church for a priory, dependent from the Benedictine Abbey Saint-Étienne in Baignes. The single-nave church got enlarged later and restored/rebuilt in the 19th century. It is claimed, that the facade is inspired by the construction of the cathedral of Angouleme. I do not see a strong influence. The blueprint of the facade is the "triumph arch". hundreds of churches in the Saintongue have a similar portal. The carvings of the facade are very elaborate. Here is the fall of man: Eva, the serpent and an apple.

This is a details from the entrance to the chapter house of the former "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conqueror, and in existence upto the French Revolution. The abbey church serves the parish since then. Most buildings of the abbey got demolished after the Revolution, but the chapter house survived. I had been here about 10 years ago, when this part of the abbey was closed. This time I had more luck - and was surprised by originality and quality of the carvings. Flanking the entrance to the chapter house three large statues, holding banners. There were a bishop/abbot demanding "disciplina", the Death bringing to the monks mind, how sudden life could end. Here is a crowned lady, standing for the paradise. Her banner reads "VITA BEATA VOCOR" "I am called for the happy life". I think "vita beata" here means "eternal life".

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in a simple Gothic style, that again suffered damage during the French Revolution. Large parts of choir of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens is still Romanesque - and there are some extraordinary capitals. Here is one of them. A scene from Paradise. The snake has given Eve an apple. She hands over one fruit to Adam, - while God (nimbus) faces the onlookers on the other side of the capital. Above the Tree of Knowledge is a nosy sun.

Saint-Pierre was the church of one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the Poitou, that was founded in 991 by Audéarde, the wife of viscount Herbert I of Thouars. The monastery was on one of the "chemins" of the Via Turonensis, so when the number of pilgrims increased, the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had this large church erected in two construction phases from the 12th century on. This church is very long and has a wide ambulatory. It could surely host large groups of pilgrims. When the era of the pilgrimage ended, the abbey declined and impoverished during the Hundred Years' War. Most conventual buildings were destroyed in the Wars of Religion. The abbey church now serves the parish. Saint-Pierre has an extraordinary density of medieval carvings. Most of these works are well preserved. The capitals all around the ambulatory and the choir are carved by a different workshop. The carvers here were very experienced, so their works are very sophisticated and elegant. The the right is the expulsion from paradise. As Adam had complained about a missing To the left God sets Adam asleep, to create Eve from Adam´s rib. This way, God gave Adam a companion. This must have been the very first anesthesia. Seen to the right is the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Saint-Pierre was the church of one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the Poitou, that was founded in 991 by Audéarde, the wife of viscount Herbert I of Thouars. The monastery was on one of the "chemins" of the Via Turonensis, so when the number of pilgrims increased, the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had this large church erected in two construction phases from the 12th century on. This church is very long and has a wide ambulatory. It could surely host large groups of pilgrims. When the era of the pilgrimage ended, the abbey declined and impoverished during the Hundred Years' War. Most conventual buildings were destroyed in the Wars of Religion. The abbey church now serves the parish. Saint-Pierre has an extraordinary density of medieval carvings. Most of these works are well preserved. The capitals all around the ambulatory and the choir are carved by a different workshop. The carvers here were very experienced, so their works are very sophisticated and elegant. Here is Eve, accepting an apple from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam seems not to notice, what is going on. We all know the end of that. To the very right the createn of Eve can partly be seen.