Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: sole

Saint-Palais, the parish church of Saint-Palais (pop. ~500), dates back to the 12th century, when it was dependent of the Premonstratensian abbey in neighbouring Pleine Selve. Two of the many little graffiti, people carved into the walls. A sailing ship to the left and a sole to the right. Such soles can be found everywhere aloung the old "caminoes". Ships are typical for the western side of France, as many people from Britain reached this area by ship and then continued on foot ("sole") or on horse or mule ("horse-shoe").

The abbey was founded within the 8th century. It is dedicated to Saint Papoul, a disciple of Saint Saturnin, missionary and first bishop of Toulouse. It was believed that Saint Papoul was martyred near the place, where the abbey is now. Later a monk named Berenger (or Berengar) lived a pious life here. After he got canonized his relics attracted the first pilgrims to this place. In the aftermath of the crusade against the Cathars the papal organisation created new (smaller) dioceses to enable a stricter control. So since 1317 the abbey church of Saint Papoul was promoted to a cathedral, holding a bishopric (upto 1801). Saint Papoul is a quiet little village, that is one of my favourite places since a long time. Yes, there are the works of the "Maître de Cabestany", who is known under this name since the 1930s when a tympanum and other carvings were found in Cabestany (near Perpignan), but there is so much more. The range of different artistic styles and icons in Saint-Papoul is enormous. The abbey was looted during the Hundred Years' War and Wars of Religion and neglected over decades during the 19th century - so there are lots of graffiti. Maybe prilgrims following the Via Tolosana added a few. "Sole graffiti" (just like "horseshoe-graffiti") are often connected to medieval pilgrims. Here I am not sure. It could be a sole, but it could as well be ... something else.

Serravalle (= narrow valley) is part of the larger Varano de' Melegari. The Via Francigena crossed the river Ceno nearby in medieval times. A church was erected over the ruins of a Roman temple, dedicated to Diana, within the 10th century. This church was destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century. It is locally claimed, that the octagonal baptistery (left), to be the oldest structure in the Parma region dating back to the 8th century. It was more likely built in the 10th/11th century, when the church gained importance as "pieve". The octagonal plan is very common for baptisteries (not only in Italy) is according to Saint Ambrogio the ideal plan for these buildings. The number "seven" represents life on earth (six days for the creation and the seventh for God´s rest). The "eight" stands for the life after the resurrection made possible through the baptism. There are many ancient graffiti craved into the outside walls of the baptistery. Over the centuries, many pilgrims on their way to Rome (or back) left marks. These "soles" are typical for (walking) pilgrims. Pilgrims traveling one horseback (or mules) often left "horseshoe-graffiti", but I found no horseshoe here. Riders may have taken a different track.

Upto the end of the 18th century a large village existed here, named Salvenero. This village had four churches in medieval times, I could still find two of them. Today the area around belongs to different villages and is covered by industrial zones and a large intersection. A church existed in here 1138, when "beati Michaelis de Salvenero" was dependent on the Abbey of Vallombrosa (Tuscany). The Romanesque building of today was probably built within the 12th and 13th century. It got altered and enlarged later. The outer walls of the three apses are covered with names. Most of them were obviously carved in to the sandstone in the early 20th century, but these ones may be centuries older. Soles as well as horseshoes were often carved in by pilgrims.