Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: gifted animal

Today Frómista has a population of less than 1000. In previous centuries, Frómista had a significant population that lived from growing wheat. A church and a Benedictine monastery on this site were first mentioned in the will of Queen Munia Mayor, widow of King Sancho III of Navarre, in 1066. The queen made the monastery and church partial heirs to her fortune. This fortune made possible the construction of a magnificent church, which was built in the last third of the 11th century in a construction period of 15 to 20 years, continuously and without interruption. Close links exist with the Cathedral of Jaca and the Basilica of San Isidoro, the craftsmen appear to have been partly the same. In 1118, Queen Urraca, a great-granddaughter of Queen Munia, placed the church, monastery and associated settlement, San Martín, under the authority of the monastery of San Zoilo. San Martín thus became the priory of this monastery. Throughout the following Middle Ages, there were constant disputes between the town of Frómista and the monastery of San Zoilo over rights in and to the village of San Martín, which even led to military conflicts. It was not until 1488 that the dispute was settled. In 1453, a Host miracle occurred in San Martín. The paten used and the host was venerated in the church until the 19th century. From 1896 to 1904, the church was extensively restored. The restoration, which aimed to recreate a "perfect" Romanesque church, is highly controversial today. Animal musicians

The Basilica of San Prudencio is located in Armentia on the southwestern outskirts of Vitoria-Gasteiz. According to legend, Saint Prudentius was born here in the 6th century. In the 9th century, Armentia was a bishopric until it was transferred to Calahorra in 1087. The Basilica of San Prudencio then became the collegiate church of a canon's monastery, which existed until 1498. It was then that the canons gave up San Prudencio to settle in Vitoria. The current church of San Prudencio was built towards the end of the 12th century. Between 1773 and 1776 the church underwent major changes. The south facade was demolished and the porch was built. Parts of the church's original sculptural decoration were embedded in the walls of this south porch. A very musical goat playing the harp

Naumburg has a population of around 33,000 and is the center of the northernmost German wine-growing region Saale-Unstrut. The first written record of Naumburg dates from 1012. It was founded at the crossing of two trade-routes, Via Regia and the Regensburg Road. The successful foundation not long beforehand of a Propstei Church on the site of the later Naumburg Cathedral was mentioned in the Merseburg Bishops' Chronicles in 1021. Already in 1028 Pope John XIX gave his approval for the transfer of the bishopric from Zeitz to Naumburg. Until 1568, during the Reformation, Naumburg was the seat of the bishops A late Romanesque new building was started around 1210. The new construction began in the nave. Of the old structure only the crypt survived. However, the construction of the new nave was soon abandoned. Instead, the construction of the new eastern parts of the cathedral began and the new building was then gradually continued to the west. It did not remain in this late-Romanesque form long for by the mid-13th century the early-Gothic west choir was added. It was likely finished by 1260. The western towers were raised by one floor shortly thereafter. In around 1330 the high-Gothic polygonal east choir was built. Additional floors were added to the western towers in the 14th and 15th centuries. On the Romanesque capital two gifted monkeys play chess

The Gallo-Roman city of Aginnum, which existed here, was very populated and had an amphitheater that could accommodate more than 10,000 people. From the end of the 3rd century , the chronicles relate the martyrdoms of Saint Caprais and Saint Foy, who are said to be buried in Aginnum. The first known bishop, named Phébade, is documented a century later. Over the following centuries, Agen was invaded by the Vandals, the Visigoths, and the Franks before being attacked by the Vikings in the 9th century. Historians have noted three invasions: in 843, 853, and the last in 922. A great loss for Agen was when at the end of the 9th century monks from Conques could steal the relics of St. Foy and transfer them to Conques (where they still are). In the 13th and 14th centuries, the city was contested between the English and the French. In the early stages of the Hundred Years' War, it came to the English but was conquered and recaptured twice. In 1372, the Duke of Anjou established his headquarters here. Although he lost the city the next year, he was able to retake it by 1374. While thereafter part of the towns and castles of Agenais were temporarily under English rule, Agen remained almost permanently in French hands until the end of the war. According to tradition, a church dedicated to Saint Caprais was built at the beginning of the 5th century. A basilica dedicated to Saint Caprais certainly existed in 580, since Grégoire de Tours cites it on that date. Agen Cathedral's structure dates to the 12th century, when it was built as a collegiate church of canons dedicated to Saint Caprasius of Agen on the foundations of a basilica sacked by the Normans in 853 but thereafter restored. It was sacked again in December 1561 during the Wars of Religion. At the onset of the French Revolution in 1789 the church lost its religious function and was used as a fodder store before being reopened in 1796. It was elevated to the status of the cathedral of the Diocese of Agen in 1801, replacing the former cathedral dedicated to Saint Étienne, which was destroyed during the Revolution. There are lots of weathered corbels under the roof. Some have been replaced by copies meanwhile.