Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Saint-Jean-de-Côle

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed twice later. It does not exist any longer. All around the chapels are more than 80 sculpted corbels. There is a male exhibtionist (prev. upl.) - and nearby a female one, a "Sheela-na-Gig".

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed twice later. It does not exist any longer. All around the chapels are more than 80 sculpted corbels. A very flexible exhibitionist!

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed twice later. It does not exist any longer. All around the chapels are more than 80 sculpted corbels. Here are two wrestlers.

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed twice later. It does not exist any longer. All around the chapels are more than 80 sculpted corbels.

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed twice later. It does not exist any longer. Three chapels once adjoined the (now cracked) apse, two of them are still "in situ". All around are more than 80 sculpted corbels.

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome, larger than thatone of St. Font in Perigueux. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed again in 1787. Obviously the material was too heavy, as it collapsed again in 1860. It was never rebuilt, the "hole" is inside no closed by a wooden panel.

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A priory was founded here (on Norman foundations) and the construction of the church started in 1086. The church, completed in the 12th century, has a very unusual plan (sometimes called "Byzantine"). There is a semicircular apse and a rectangular nave, that once was crowned by a dome, larger than thatone of St. Font in Perigueux. This dome was destroyed during the Hundred Years War and got rebuilt and collapsed again in 1787. Obviously the material was too heavy, as it collapsed again in 1860. Since then the church has the roof seen today. The apse once had three chapes, but only the two seen from this point, survived the times.

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. A castle existed here already since the 11th century, when nearby a priory was founded. This castle got ruined when English troops seized the village in 1394 and settled here for 11 years, before French troops forced them out. The current castle was rebuilt from the end of the 15th century on, but suffered again, when in 1569 Saint-Jean-de-Côle was pillaged by the Protestants during the wars of religion . After the end of the war the castle got rebuilt again in a Renaissance style and a large wing was added in the 17rth century. Seen here are the castle, the market hall and a part of the former convent´s church, now parish church.

Today Saint-Jean-de-Côle, a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("most beautiful villages of France"), has a population of only about 300. When the family de La Marthonie, after which the castle is named, moved to Saint-Jean-de-Côle around 1250, an earlier castle existed already. This castle got ruined when English troops seized the village in 1394 and settled here for 11 years, befor French troops forced them out. The current castle was rebuilt from the end of the 15th century on, but suffered again, when in 1569 Saint-Jean-de-Côle was pillaged by the Protestants during the wars of religion . After the end of the war the castle got rebuilt again in a Renaissance style and a large wing was added in the 17rth century.