Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Charles the Simple

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The style and the quality of the sculpted capitals around nave and choir differs. Some carvings are complex and symmetric, some look new (19th century restored?), some even pre-Romanesque or carolingian with spirals like this one.

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The style and the quality of the sculpted capitals around nave and choir differs. Some carvings are complex and symmetric, some look new (19th century restored?), some even pre-Romanesque or carolingian with spirals. Here are two large birds.

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The church was locked, but thanks to a friendly French couple, the doors opened. Following Anne Prache ("Ile-de-France Romane"), the choir dates to the 12th century, replacing an earlier one. As the terrain on which the apse was built is very steep, it needed a special construction, that is pretty unique! Here is a "row" of capitals from the choir.

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The church was locked, but thanks to a friendly French couple, the doors opened. Following Anne Prache ("Ile-de-France Romane"), the choir dates to the 12th century, replacing an earlier one. As the terrain on which the choir was built is very steep, it needed a special construction, that is pretty unique!

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The church was locked, but thanks to a friendly French couple, the doors opened. Following Anne Prache ("Ile-de-France Romane"), the choir seen here, dates to the 12th century, replacing an earlier one. As the terrain on which the choir was built is very steep, it needed a special construction. Pretty unique!

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The church was locked, but thanks to a friendly French couple, the doors opened. Following Anne Prache ("Ile-de-France Romane"), the first church here had a single nave, enlarged by the side aisles in the 11th century. The vaulting is obviously much younger. The large arch at the crossing reminds me a bit on Vignory, but here is looks more elegant. Note the extraordinary choir.

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. The church was locked, but thanks to a friendly French couple, the doors were open after while. Waiting for the keys, I found this carving, mounted on a wall next to the church. A medieval abbess, holding crosier and bible, or the Virgin (crown? nimbus?) on a throne. Or saying the abbess represents the Virgin here. Morienval = Valley of Mary?

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. The "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Morienval" existed upto 1745 and since then the church serves as a parish church. Two elegant towers flank the choir. The arm of the transept obviously got extended later.

A Benedictine nunnery existed here for centuries. It was founded already within the 9th century. In 920 Carolingian Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") signed a document confirming privileges bestowed to the convent by his grandfather Charles II (aka "Charles the Bald"). Since the end of the 11th century relics of Saint Annobert were venerated here, about the same time the erection of this church may have started. The process was slow. Major modifications were undertaken around 1625, when the facade, seen here, got created. The convent existed upto 1745 and since then "Notre Dame" serves as a parish church.

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert. The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated. The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180. It took centuries to complete the building. Many of the statues, that once were placed on the facade, were destroyed by Calvinists in the late 16th century, when the cathedral was badly damaged during the Wars of Religion. The remaining are weathered and meanwhile can be found in the choir.

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert. The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated. The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180. It took centuries to complete the building. The Gothic nave, seen here is about 60m long.

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert. The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated. The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180, the western facade, seen here partial, was created between 1370 and 1450. The "Buttertower" ("Tour de Beurre") was added around 1480. Soon after the first construction defects became obvious and the facade had to be reconstructed. Cathedrals need morr than just some TLC, so for the next years great parts of the facade will be hidden under scaffolding,