Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: vineyard

Aigle lies about 13 km south-southeast of Montreux at the east edge of the Rhône valley. Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV gave the territory of Aigle in 1076 to the house of Savoy. The Abbeys of Great Saint Bernard and Saint-Maurice also had holdings in Aigle, and the latter established a priory, from which the village of Le Cloître takes its name. In 1231, Aigle was made a market town and in 1314 it was raised to a free town by Amadeus V of Savoy. It became an important commercial center because of its location on the road to Italy. After an Italian mercenary army marched through the Rhone Valley in 1475 to support Charles the Bold, Bern took this as an opportunity to conquer Aigle and so reach control over the lower Rhone valley. The castle was burned down during the fight but Bern had the castle rebuilt and made it the seat of a provincial governor. Aigle became one of the first French-speaking districts in Bern. The representatives of Bern resided here until the French invasion in 1798. I can only quote the winery, I have not tried the wine. "The "Clos de la Cure" vineyard borders the church of the former monastery of Aigle, which at the time belonged to the Abbey of Saint-Maurice. The extremely stony alluvial soil gives this Chasselas a very special character. In the finale, the generous floral aroma is enhanced by a touch of positive bitterness."

Sandomierz was one of the most important cities in the Polish section of the Via Regia, taking advantage of the location at the junction of the Vistula and San rivers. The first known historical mention of the city comes from the early 12th-century when it was already ranked as one of the main cities of Poland. The testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth, in which he divided Poland among his sons, designated Sandomierz as the capital of one of the resulting principalities, the Duchy of Sandomierz. In the early 13th century, the second oldest Dominican monastery in Poland was founded in Sandomierz. Within the 13th century, the city suffered grievous damage during the raids by Mongols in 1241, 1260, and 1287. The wooden buildings of the town were completely destroyed. As a result, in 1286 Leszek II the Black, effectively refounded the city. After the reunification of the Polish lands in the 14th century, the former principality became the Sandomierz Voivodeship, incorporating large areas of southeastern Poland. In the middle of the 14th century, the city was burned again during a raid by the Lithuanians. It was rebuilt during the rule of Casimir III of Poland, who extended its privileges. The layout of the city has survived practically unchanged from that time until the present day. Sandomierz prospered until the middle of the 17th century, but the prosperity came to an end in 1655 when Swedish troops captured the city. After briefly holding out in the city, the withdrawing Swedes blew up the castle and caused heavy damage to other buildings. A great fire in 1757 and the First Partition of Poland in 1772, which placed Sandomierz in Austria, further reduced its status. In 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars, fighting between the forces of Austria and the Duchy of Warsaw caused damage to the city. It became part of the short-lived Polish Duchy of Warsaw and after 1815 it found itself in the Russian Empire ("Congress Poland"). - Shortly after the Lithuanian invasion (1349), but shortly thereafter Casimir III ordered to build a new defensive brick castle on a slope of the Vistula River to replace the former fortress. The original building was blown up by the Swedish troops in 1656, leaving only the west wing standing. It was later transformed into a Renaissance-style residence with the west wing preserved as a museum. A view like in France: vineyards and castle.

Due to a specific microclima the valley of the Douro river is just perfect for winegrowing. Vineyards stretch all along the river. Unfortunately rain in autumn seems necessery for a good quality of the wine. In the old days the wine wa shipped to Porto on small boats, where it was refined to port wine. Today the wine reaches Sandeman, Kopke and all other producers in trucks.

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 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. - This capital is known under different names: "The Winegrowers" or "The Harvest" or "The Stealer". In case these are not two winegrowers harvesting grapes, it could well be, that the left person (eating and holding a spear) is guarding the vineyard, while behind him the grapes get snatched. Now, seen from a different angle, the guardian seems daydreaming, while the stealer is crawling and cutting the grapes with a knife.

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 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. - This capital is known under different names: "The Winegrowers" or "The Harvest" or "The Stealer". In case these are not two winegrowers harvesting grapes, it could well be, that the left person (eating and holding a spear) is guarding the vineyard, while behind him the grapes get snatched.

Already within the 5th century existed a church here, at that time far out of the city walls of Como. It served at the bishop´s seat upto 1007, when Bishop Alberico moved the seat into the town - and the church entrusted to the Benedictines. The monks, with strong support of Henry II (aka "Saint Henry") rebuilt the basilica between 1022 and 1095. Pope Urban II consecrated the new basilica in June 1095, about 6 months before he preached the First Crusade on the Council of Clermont. There are parallels between Sant'Abbondio and cathedrals erected the same time north of the Alps. Henry II was the last emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, who have been powerful sponsors for many churches within the Holy Roman Empire. All the windows around the apse are decorated. Here are blackbirds having a dinner party in a vineyard.