Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Marmoutier

Marmoutier, founded in the late 6th or 7th century by Saint Leobard was a community of Irish monks under the Rule of St. Columbanus. It was important Merovingian abbey in Alsace, that introduced the Regula Benedicti in 728. Monastic reformer Benedict of Aniane was abbot here, when (his friend) Louis the Pious (son of Charlemagne) was in power. The westwork-facade seen here was built around 1140/50), it has a lot of carvings, of which some seem to be older. Like thisone: A three-headed person presenting - three heads. The look of all six faces seems to be depressed. Maybe six very gifted acrobats, doing a phantastic stunt, but having forgotten, how to get out of the result again. -- Just found out, that Hans Haug and Robert Will in "Alsace romane" ( Éditions Zodiaque) see this as a three-headed devil. If they are right, that may be connected to the heathenly (slawic) god Triglav, who had three faces.

Marmoutier, founded in the late 6th or 7th century by Saint Leobard was a community of Irish monks under the Rule of St. Columbanus. It was important Merovingian abbey in Alsace, that introduced the Regula Benedicti in 728. Monastic reformer Benedict of Aniane was abbot here, when (his friend) Louis the Pious was in power. Here the different stages of construction are visible. The westwork-facade on the left was built around 1140/50). The gothic hall and the transsept were added between 1225 and 1300. The choir to the right, under renovation at the moment, was built 1761 to 1769. At that time it was planned, to replace the romanesque westwork with a baroque facade, but the French Revolution stopped that project.

Marmoutier, founded in the late 6th or 7th century by Saint Leobard was a community of Irish monks under the Rule of St. Columbanus. It was important Merovingian abbey in Alsace, that introduced the Regula Benedicti in 728. Monastic reformer Benedict of Aniane was abbot here, when (his friend) Louis the Pious (son of Charlemagne) was in power. The westwork-facade seen here was built around 1140/50), it has a lot of carvings, of which some seem to be older. Here a lion with a nimbus looking to heaven. The rear part of the lion reminds me of a duck (without wings).

A wall at a doorway in the former abbey. The pretty damaged coat of arms, holded up by an angle, can only be that of Maximilian II (see the words), showing the double headed eagle. This is probably from around 1550. After having been looted during the "Peasants´War" and later the "Thirty Years' War", this coat may have been a kind of warning, showing that the monastry had protection from Maximilian II. Next to it - carved graffitis all over the wall.