Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Our schedule in Cambridge fell victim to a series of heavy downpours, for which we were not at all prepared. As soon as we left Cambridge, the weather improved The Church of the Holy Sepulchre ( aka "The Round Church") was built around 1130, inspired by the rotunda in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. It was built by the Fraternity of the Holy Sepulchre. It consisted of a round nave and an ambulatory, with a short chancel, probably in the shape of an apse. By the middle of the 13th century it had become a parish church under the patronage of Barnwell Priory. Around this time structural alterations were made to the church, with the rebuilding of the chancel and the addition of a north aisle. During the 15th century the Norman style windows in the nave were replaced by larger Gothic style windows. A polygonal bell-storey was built over the nave. In 1643, during the Civil War, many of the "idolatrous" images were destroyed. By the 19th century the church was in a poor state of repair. Part of the ambulatory collapsed in 1841, and the Cambridge Camden Society offered to carry out repairs.

Our schedule in Cambridge fell victim to a series of heavy downpours, for which we were not at all prepared. As soon as we left Cambridge, the weather improved The Church of the Holy Sepulchre ( aka "The Round Church") was built around 1130, inspired by the rotunda in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. It was built by the Fraternity of the Holy Sepulchre. It consisted of a round nave and an ambulatory, with a short chancel, probably in the shape of an apse. By the middle of the 13th century it had become a parish church under the patronage of Barnwell Priory. Around this time structural alterations were made to the church, with the rebuilding of the chancel and the addition of a north aisle. During the 15th century the Norman style windows in the nave were replaced by larger Gothic style windows. A polygonal bell-storey was built over the nave. In 1643, during the Civil War, many of the "idolatrous" images were destroyed. By the 19th century the church was in a poor state of repair. Part of the ambulatory collapsed in 1841, and the Cambridge Camden Society offered to carry out repairs.

Tomar today is a modern city with a population of about 40.000. After the conquest of the area from the Moors by Portugal´s first king Afonso Henriques in 1147, the land was granted in 1159 as a fief to the Order of the Knights Templar, who erected the castle/monastery "Convento de Cristo" here, that later became the headquarters of the Order in Portugal. Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Order, granted priviliges to the evolving town already in 1162. After the Order of the Knights Templar was suppressed in 1314 King Dinis was able to transfer the possessions and personnel of the Order in Portugal to a newly created Order of Christ. In the 15th century Henry the Navigator was made the Governor of the Order. He was the central figure in the early days of the European maritime discoveries and maritime expansion, later known as the "Age of Discovery", and he may have used resources and knowledge of the Order to succeed in his enterprises in Africa and in the Atlantic. In 1492 the Jews were expelled from Spain. Many refugees settled in Tomar, what helped the town to develop. Jews lived here undisturbed for several decades until the Portuguese Inquisition got installed. Many could escape by migrating, but about 1000 were tortured and executed. Tomar was occupied by the French during the Napoleonic invasions and was liberated by Portuguese and English troops commanded by the Duke of Wellington. The "Convento de Cristo" towers over Tomar. The church of the convent has a nave, erected in flamboyant Gothic "Manueline" style around 1510 - and this 12th century 16-side polygonal structure, constructed, when Gualdim Pais led the Knights Templar in Tomar. He had joined the Second Cruisade and fought for five years as a Knight Templar in "Outremer", the Crusader states. He probably brought back the blueprint of this rotunda, obviously modelled after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Unfortunately in autumn 2013 the interior of the rotunda was under reconstration and renovation.

Tomar today is a modern city with a population of about 40.000. After the conquest of the area from the Moors by Portugal´s first king Afonso Henriques in 1147, the land was granted in 1159 as a fief to the Order of the Knights Templar, who erected the castle/monastery "Convento de Cristo" here, that later became the headquarters of the Order in Portugal. Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Order, granted priviliges to the evolving town already in 1162. After the Order of the Knights Templar was suppressed in 1314 King Dinis was able to transfer the possessions and personnel of the Order in Portugal to a newly created Order of Christ. In the 15th century Henry the Navigator was made the Governor of the Order. He was the central figure in the early days of the European maritime discoveries and maritime expansion, later known as the "Age of Discovery", and he may have used resources and knowledge of the Order to succeed in his enterprises in Africa and in the Atlantic. In 1492 the Jews were expelled from Spain. Many refugees settled in Tomar, what helped the town to develop. Jews lived here undisturbed for several decades until the Portuguese Inquisition got installed. Many could escape by migrating, but about 1000 were tortured and executed. Tomar was occupied by the French during the Napoleonic invasions and was liberated by Portuguese and English troops commanded by the Duke of Wellington. The "Convento de Cristo" towers over Tomar. The church of the convent has a nave, erected in flamboyant Gothic "Manueline" style around 1510 - and this 12th century 16-side polygonal structure, constructed, when Gualdim Pais led the Knights Templar in Tomar. He had joined the Second Cruisade and fought for five years as a Knight Templar in "Outremer", the Crusader states. He probably brought back the blueprint of this rotunda, obviously modelled after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Tomar today is a modern city with a population of about 40.000. After the conquest of the area from the Moors by Portugal´s first king Afonso Henriques in 1147, the land was granted in 1159 as a fief to the Order of the Knights Templar, who erected the castle/monastery "Convento de Cristo" here, that later became the headquarters of the Order in Portugal. Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Order, granted priviliges to the evolving town already in 1162. After the Order of the Knights Templar was suppressed in 1314 King Dinis was able to transfer the possessions and personnel of the Order in Portugal to a newly created Order of Christ. In the 15th century Henry the Navigator was made the Governor of the Order. He was the central figure in the early days of the European maritime discoveries and maritime expansion, later known as the "Age of Discovery", and he may have used resources and knowledge of the Order to succeed in his enterprises in Africa and in the Atlantic. In 1492 the Jews were expelled from Spain. Many refugees settled in Tomar, what helped the town to develop. Jews lived here undisturbed for several decades until the Portuguese Inquisition got installed. Many could escape by migrating, but about 1000 were tortured and executed. Tomar was occupied by the French during the Napoleonic invasions and was liberated by Portuguese and English troops commanded by the Duke of Wellington. The "Convento de Cristo" towers over Tomar. The church of the convent has a nave, erected in flamboyant Gothic "Manueline" style around 1510 - and this 12th century 16-side polygonal structure, constructed, when Gualdim Pais led the Knights Templar in Tomar. He had joined the Second Cruisade and fought for five years as a Knight Templar in "Outremer", the Crusader states. He probably brought back the blueprint of this rotunda, obviously modelled after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The dome above, seen here, is dodecagonal. It is supported by 12 columns.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The dome above is dodecagonal. It is supported by 12 columns. In the center of the "Basilica del Sepolcro" is this structure, that reminds of the Calvary. A mountain with a cross on top over a cave. The pulpit (right) bears the Evangelists´ symbols. In 1141 the relics of Saint Petronius (aka "Bishop Petronus") were rediscovered here - since then they are in the cave of this Calvary.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The dome above is dodecagonal. It is supported by 12 columns. Some of them are probably spolia that got reused here.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The outer walls are adorned with Cosmatesque mosaics.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The outer walls are adorned with Cosmatesque mosaics.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks. Here is is seen from the cloister named "Cortile di Pilato" ("Pilate's courtyard").

This was the center of the former diocese, founded by the legendary Saint Restitut, who had travelled to France with the "Three Marys". Two of his successors were Saint Torquatus and Saint Paul, after whom the town later was named. A church was erected over their tombs. A cathedral dedicated to the Virgin and Saint Paul that existed mid 9th century (and sometimes connected to Charlemagne) got destroyed when the Saracen and in the 920s Hungarian troops raided the area. The cathedral, seen here, was erected from 1120 on. Around 1180 the nave was completed, it was consecrated in the early 13th century. Severely damaged during the Wars of Religions it lost the importance, when after the Concordat of 1801 the long history of the "Diocese of Tricastin" ended. Since then the cathedral serves the parish. Jean-Maurice Rouquette ("Provence Romane") describes this cathedral as the "perfect example" for the "art roman provençal", the specific style of Romanesque architecture that developed in this region. When during the late 19th century the altar was moved out of the apse and the old floor level was excavated this mosaic was found. In 1999 a second part was found. Though most details were destroyed some parts can be preserved and are now displayed. The center part depicts JERUSALEM. Now this may well be the "Heavenly Jerusalem", the biblical "New Jerusalem", but there is as well a theory, that this is a picture of the "real Jerusalem". The apse was built 1120/1150. Since 638 Jerusalem was under Muslim control. In 1095 Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus requested military support against the Seljuk Turks. Following that Pope Urban II hold a speech on November 27 1095 during the Council of Clermont. This speech was the starting point of the First Crusade. From then on armies of crusaders walked down the valley of the Rhone - and passed through this area. This mosaic may have shown them - like a banner - where they all were heading to. In case this theory is right - the large church can only be the "Church of the Holy Sepulchre" founded by Constantine the Great and completed in 335. It got severely damaged in the early 11th century but rebuilt some decades later. The "Church of the Holy Sepulchre" was taken by the crusaders on 15 July 1099. No crusader could consider his "pilgimage" complete unless he had prayed as a pilgrim at the Holy Sepulchre. So this had a highly symbolic value.