Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Saint-Jacques

Sicily, the largest of all Mediterranean islands, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession. Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire and became a Byzantine province. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century. A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful, The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings. In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages. Palermo, founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians, became a possession of Carthage and later was part of the Roman Empire. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule. Following the Norman conquest, Palermo became the capital of a new Kingdom of Sicily and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Emperor Frederick II and King Conrad IV. Today Palermo is a bustling city with a population of about 700.000 plus - many many tourists. Where the Palermo Cathedral ist now, was a Byzantine basilica, probably founded by Pope Gregory I, in the 6th century. After their conquest of the city in the 9th century, the Saracens converted this building into the "Grand Mosque". When the Normans under Roger I took over Palermo the mosque became again a cathedral and the seat of the archbishop. After an earthquake had severely damaged the old building, it was decided to demolish and rebuild it. The new cathedral was erected from 1184 on. In the 14th to 16th centuries, the building underwent continuous expansions and Gothic remodelling. A rebuilding process from 1781 to 1801 changed the cathedral fundamentally. A classical dome above the crossing was erected and the roofs of the aisles got replaced by a series of smaller domes that now obscure the outer facade of the nave. So today the cathedral s a 3D-puzzle of bits and pieces of different times and different styles. Details of the portico from around 1465. St. James (Jaques, Jakob) in the center wears a "coquille" on his hat.

Montebourg, located just a few kilometers northwest of "Utah Beach" was a place of heavy fightings in June 1944. The town got largely destroyed and the Church of Saint-Jacques got severly damaged. Impacts of bullets and shells are still visible. Monks of the nearby "Abbaye de Montebourg", founded by "William the Conquerer" around 1080, were involved, when town and parish developed. The construction of the church started in the early 14th century. It got consecrated in 1329. The baptismal font inside Saint Jacques was created out of a large Romanesque capital. I could not find any information. The capital may have been "rescued", when the "Abbaye de Montebourg" was sold as "national property" during the French Revolution and the crumbling buildings were used as a quarry.

Montebourg, located just a few kilometers northwest of "Utah Beach" was a place of heavy fightings in June 1944. The town got largely destroyed and the Church of Saint-Jacques got severly damaged. Impacts of bullets and shells are still visible. Monks of the nearby "Abbaye de Montebourg", founded by "William the Conquerer" around 1080, were involved, when town and parish developed. The construction of the church started in the early 14th century. It got consecrated in 1329.

The Romans built up a castrum around 15BC. Around 110 AD the town that had developed around the camp was given the rights of a colonia, that was named Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The colonia became the second most important commercial post in "Germania Inferior", surpassed only by Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne). Today Xanten hosts one of the largest archaeological open air museums, built at the site of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The first christian buildings may have been oratorys built over a Roman graves. A first church existed 752. A convent developed. As it was believed to have found the graves of Saint Viktor and his companions, all members of the Theban Legion, the places was called "ad sanctos" from which the town´s name "Xanten" derived. The construction of a larger church started, but it got destroyed by Norman invaders, who had hibernated on a near island in the Rhine river, in 863. Bishop Folkmar of Cologne consecrated a new church here in the second half of the 10th century. This church was restored after fires in the 11th and 12th centuries. From 1128 a choir was erected, that was consecrated by Bishop Rainald von Dassel. Between 1180 and 1213 the western facade had been erected upto the third level. The erection of today´s church started in 1263. After 281 years of construction it was finally completed in 1544. St. Viktor, often named "Xantener Dom" ("Xanten Cathedral"), was the center of the convent, that developed to a city in the city. It was completely surrounded by a wall and could be entered only through two gates. The south gate still exists - has this plaque, as the long way to Santiago passed of course through Xanten. The distance from here to Santiago de Compostella is - 2744 kms.

Probably since the beginning the Église Saint-Jacques is surounded by the village´s graveyard. The erection started in 1169. Philip I (aka "Philippe d'Alsace"), count of Flandres and founder of Cappelle-Brouck, endowed a relic of Saint Jaques to this church, when he returned from his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella in 1172. So this church was a halt for many pilgrims heading south (or returning). I found that it took 85 days from here to Santiago, what is about 25kms/day. The once Romansque basilica, got altered quite often over the centuries in different styles. During WWII it got severely damaged, so that the westen facade had to be rebuilt after a collapse in 1950.

Probably since the beginning the Église Saint-Jacques is surounded by the village´s graveyard. The erection started in 1169. Philip I (aka "Philippe d'Alsace"), count of Flandres and founder of Cappelle-Brouck, endowed a relic of Saint Jaques to this church, when he returned from his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella in 1172. So this church was a halt for many pilgrims heading south (or returning). I found that it took 85 days from here to Santiago, what is about 25kms/day. The once Romansque basilica, got altered quite often over the centuries in different styles. During WWII it got severely damaged, so that the westen facade had to be rebuilt after a collapse in 1950.

Châtellerault has been a halt for the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela from the very beginning - and of course they all of them stopped at this church to pray. The construction of the church started in 1008 on the ruins of the chapel of an even older Saint-Jacques priory. In the heydays of the pilgrimage numerous hospices, inns and "auberges", all centered around this church, offered their services. This large, wooden statue of Saint Jacques is placed on a side aisle of the church. When it was carved within the 17th century, these heydays were already long ago.

Châtellerault has been a halt for the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostella from the very beginning - and of course they all of them stopped at this church. The construction of the church started in 1008 on the ruins of the chapel of an even older Saint-Jacques priory. The facade and the towers, seen here, are a result of a major rebuilding project done in the 19th century. Prosper Mérimée, the inspector-general of historical monuments, did not like this (overdone) restoration at all.