Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Bestiensäule

Souillac is another town, that I cannot pass, without stopping and visiting the former abbey-church. Legends tell, that the abbey was founded by Saint Eligius (Saint Eloi), advisor of Merovingian King Dagobert I. The abbey got destroyed by the Saracens, Charlemagne commissioned the reconstruction, that again ruined got by Norman invaders. Of course it got looted during the Wars of Religions, but existed upto the French Revolution. The abbey-church, today serving the parish, got built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross in the 12th century. The single nave is about 15 ms wide. Above are no vaults, but three domes, similar to Saint-Front in Périgueux and Saint Etienne in Cahors. During the Wars of Religions the complex carvings that once were on the outside of the church got removed and placed inside, to save them from iconoclastic vandals. The "Pilier de Souillac", a masterpiece, probably once used as a trumeau. Similar (but less complex) pillars, populated with humans and beasts, exist in Moissac, Freising (Germany), Lund (Sweden) and Lucca (Italy). To the left is the head of the "Dancing Isaiah".

Souillac is another town, that I cannot pass, without stopping and visiting the former abbey-church. Legends tell, that the abbey was founded by Saint Eligius (Saint Eloi), advisor of Merovingian King Dagobert I. The abbey got destroyed by the Saracens, Charlemagne commissioned the reconstruction, that again ruined got by Norman invaders. Of course it got looted during the Wars of Religions, but existed upto the French Revolution. The abbey-church, today serving the parish, got built in the 12th century. Inside this church are romanesque works of art, that are breathtaking. I had seen them already a couple of times, but I just had to see them again (and take more photos!). During the Wars of Religions the complex carvings that once were on the outside of the church got removed and placed inside, to save them from iconoclastic vandals. Next to the door (right) is the "Dancing Isaiah", further to the right the "Pilier de Souillac", probably once used as a trumeau. Similar pillars, populated with beasts, only exist in Moissac, Freising (Germany), Lund (Sweden) and Lucca (Italy).

Souillac is another town, that I cannot pass, without stopping and visiting the former abbey-church. Legends tell, that the abbey was founded by Saint Eligius (Saint Eloi), advisor of Merovingian King Dagobert I. The abbey got destroyed by the Saracens, Charlemagne commissioned the reconstruction, that again ruined got by Norman invaders. Of course it got looted during the Wars of Religions, but existed upto the French Revolution. The abbey-church, today serving the parish, got built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross in the 12th century. The single nave is about 15 ms wide. Above are no vaults, but three domes, similar to Saint-Front in Périgueux and Saint Etienne in Cahors. During the Wars of Religions the complex carvings that once were on the outside of the church got removed and placed inside, to save them from iconoclastic vandals. The "Pilier de Souillac", a masterpiece, probably once used as a trumeau. Similar (but less complex) pillars, populated with humans and beasts, exist in Moissac, Freising (Germany), Lund (Sweden) and Lucca (Italy). Here is a detail.

Souillac is another town, that I cannot pass, without stopping and visiting the former abbey-church. Legends tell, that the abbey was founded by Saint Eligius (Saint Eloi), advisor of Merovingian King Dagobert I. The abbey got destroyed by the Saracens, Charlemagne commissioned the reconstruction, that again ruined got by Norman invaders. Of course it got looted during the Wars of Religions, but existed upto the French Revolution. The abbey-church, today serving the parish, got built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross in the 12th century. The single nave is about 15 ms wide. Above are no vaults, but three domes, similar to Saint-Front in Périgueux and Saint Etienne in Cahors. During the Wars of Religions the complex carvings that once were on the outside of the church got removed and placed inside, to save them from iconoclastic vandals. The "Pilier de Souillac", a masterpiece, probably once used as a trumeau. Similar (but less intricate) pillars, populated with humans and beasts, exist in Moissac, Freising (Germany), Lund (Sweden) and Lucca (Italy). Here is a detail.

Souillac is another town, that I cannot pass, without stopping and visiting the former abbey-church. Legends tell, that the abbey was founded by Saint Eligius (Saint Eloi), advisor of Merovingian King Dagobert I. The abbey got destroyed by the Saracens, Charlemagne commissioned the reconstruction, that again ruined got by Norman invaders. Of course it got looted during the Wars of Religions, but existed upto the French Revolution. The abbey-church, today serving the parish, got built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross in the 12th century. The single nave is about 15 ms wide. Above are no vaults, but three domes, similar to Saint-Front in Périgueux and Saint Etienne in Cahors. During the Wars of Religions the complex carvings that once were on the outside of the church got removed and placed inside, to save them from iconoclastic vandals. Here is "Pilier de Souillac", a masterpiece, probably once used as a trumeau. Similar (but less complex) pillars, populated with beasts, exist in Moissac, Freising (Germany), Lund (Sweden) and Lucca (Italy).

Try without flashlight.. One of the beasts has a human in his mouth. The man on the rigt side seems to reopen the jaw with his hands. The beasts btw. have three jaws! There are four of these beasts on the pillar. Men (knights?) fighting them. What it all means is very much disputed. The woman with the flower on the eastern side - could be "the church", the knights fighting with beastly paganism. I could not find anything about, what the poor dog could stand for...