Album Medieval Mermaids from Martin M. Miles

Nicosia - Agios Trypiotis

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 12 May 2026 20:31:07 +0000

Agios Trypiotos full english name is "Archangel Michael Trypiotis Church". "Trypiotis" means "maker of the hole" referring to a legend where Archangel Michael struck the ground to create a chasm, saving a monastery from a flood.

The church was built in 1695 during the Ottoman period, commissioned by Archbishop Germanos II. It was constructed on the site of an earlier church and monastery. The building is an example of Franco-Byzantine style, characterized by its three-aisled basilica plan.

Parts of the predecessor structure were used for the portal.

Nicosia - Agios Trypiotis

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 12 May 2026 20:18:45 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Langogne - Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:53:07 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

A settlement likely existed along the Roman road from early times, but rural life only truly developed after Saint-Chaffre du Monastier founded a priory there. Thanks to its geographical location, the town became a trading center. Wine, leather, fabrics, and wool were traded at the market established in 1336. Merchants gradually settled in the town, and the population grew. In 1568, the Huguenot captain Merle and his 9,000 men plundered and destroyed the town. It had to be rebuilt.

Today, Langogne is a rural town with about 2,800 inhabitants. In the 1950s, it had a population of over 4,000. The population decline is clearly visible. Empty shops and abandoned stores dominate the streetscape.

The church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais was built in the 12th century by monks from Saint-Chaffre. It was destroyed in the 16th century during the Huguenot Wars when much of the monastery was burned down, and the church was severely damaged. The restoration brought about profound changes, but the interior with al the capitals is still romanesque.

A mermaid

Rodez - Musée Fenaille

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:18:22 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

With about 25,000 inhabitants, Rodez is today the economic and cultural center of the Aveyron department.

The city has a history spanning over 2,000 years and was known as Segodunum under the Romans. After the Romans, Rodez was occupied by the Visigoths, the Franks, the armies of the Dukes of Aquitaine and the Counts of Toulouse, and by the Moors, who besieged the city in 725 and destroyed the old church. Several centuries later, the English besieged the city during the Hundred Years' War.

Today there two universities here, whose more than 3000 students bring life to the city.

The Musée Fenaille is a history, archaeology, and art museum whose history dates back to the 1830s. The collections span periods from the Paleolithic era to the present day.

In medieval times a mermaid stood for lust and vanity

musee-fenaille.rodezagglo.fr/le-musee

Tenby - St Mary

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 21:32:48 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The Vikings are thought to have founded a settlement near Tenby in the early Middle Ages. In the late 11th century, the Normans made Tenby their headquarters as the town had a good strategic location. During this time, there were frequent battles with the Welsh, who did not want to accept the seizure.

Over the years, more and more Normans, French, English and Flemings migrated to south Pembrokeshire and settled under the protection of Tenby Castle. The town walls from this period are still largely intact today. In 1153, the town and castle were again conquered by the Welsh. The brothers Maredudd and Rhys ap Gruffydd attacked the castle with their troops. This attack was an act of revenge for the attack on their brother Cadell ap Gruffydd, who had been injured by soldiers while hunting near Saundersfoot. The brothers punished those responsible and then withdrew from the castle.

In 1187, Welsh troops under Maelgwn ap Rhys conquered and plundered the town. However, the property soon passed back into Norman hands. The last Welsh conquest took place in 1260 by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd during his campaign to liberate Wales.

The majority of the remaining building dates from the 15th century with some features retained from the 13th century. The 13th Century chancel has a 'wagon' roof and the panelled ceiling has 75 bosses carved in a variety of designs

Four bosses

Candes-Saint-Martin - Collégiale Saint-Martin

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 21:36:09 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Candes-Saint-Martin lies at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire and is considered to be the place where St Martin died in a monastery he founded himself in 397.

The pilgrimage church of Saint Martin stands on the site of the house where he died. Based on the architecture, sculptural decoration and iconography, it is likely that the collegiate church was donated around 1180 by King Henry II of England, who ruled the area at the time. It was built at the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th century.

In response to the Hundred Years' War the church was fortified in the 15th century. The boundary between the territories controlled by the French and the English, which was shifting, passed not far from Candes in the first part of the 15th century. The towers flanking the façade and the other ones, at the north porch, had their summits taken up and crowned by machicolations. The fortified towers are connected by a patrol path that climbs the slopes of the roof.

A detail of the portal´s carvings

Carlisle - Cathedral

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 May 2024 21:16:02 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The first settlement to be established in the area was a Celtic town, which developed into the Roman city of Luguvalium in the 2nd century. Excavations undertaken in the 1970s dated the Roman timber fort constructed at the site of present Carlisle Castle to the winter of AD 73. It protected a strategic location on the Roman road to the north and overlooking the confluence of the Caldew and Eden rivers.

By the time of the Norman Conquest of England, Carlisle was in the possession of the Scots. This changed in 1092, when William the Conqueror's son William Rufus invaded the region and incorporated Carlisle into England. The construction of Carlisle Castle began in 1093 on the site of the Roman fort.

The conquest of Cumberland was the beginning of a war between Scotland and England which saw the region centred around Carlisle change hands a number of times. During the wars, the livelihood of the people on the borders was devastated by armies from both sides. Even when the countries were not at war, tension remained high. Groups named "Border Reivers" were raiders along the Anglo-Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century.

Carlisle Cathedral was founded in 1122 as a community of canons. Construction of the church was begun by Athelwold, who became the first prior. In 1133 the church was elevated to cathedral status and Athelwold became the first Bishop of Carlisle. The building was renovated in the 13th and 14th centuries, with impetus given by the presence of the court of Edward I in 1307.

In the 15th and early 16th centuries the monastic buildings were renewed. With the Dissolution of the Monasteries from 1536 and the establishment of the Church of England by Henry VIII as the official church of the country, the monasteries were dissolved and Carlisle Cathedral was run by a secular chapter. During the English Civil War part of the nave of the cathedral was demolished by the Scottish Presbyterian army to use the stones to reinforce Carlisle Castle. Between 1853 and 1870 Carlisle Cathedral was restored.

The church was built in the Anglo-Norman style, but little of it remains. In the 13th century, construction began on a new three-aisled church in the Gothic style, which also had a transept. A fire damaged the church in 1292 and much of the work had to be restarted. Around 1350, the 9-panel chancel window was installed, which is still one of the largest in England.

The stalls have a series of skilfully carved misericords

A mermaid

Cartmel - Priory

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 27 May 2024 17:09:14 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The place-name is first attested in 677, when the Cartmel Peninsula was granted to St Cuthbert by King Egfrith of Northumbria. Cartmel Priory was founded in 1188, William Marshal, for which he brought 12 monks and a prior from Bradenstoke Priory in Wiltshire. The existing parish church of St Michael was merged with the new monastery church of St Mary.
Between 1327 and 1347 a chapel with four traceried windows was provided by John Harington. In the 15th century extensive work was undertaken, in part due to damage in the southern part of the complex. The original cloister was demolished and a new one built to the north of the priory church. In the east end of the church, the early lancet windows were replaced by one huge window of stained glass. Work on the building continued intermittently into the 16th century.

The priory was surrendered by its community at the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536. After the "Pilgrimage of Grace" the community was reinstated for a short while, but with the failure of the rising, came a brutal end. The subprior and several of the canons being hanged, along with ten villagers who had supported them.

The church is famous for its stalls with masterfully carved misericords dating from around 1440.

A mermaid holding a comb and a mirror, a symbol for vanity

Ludlow - St Lawrence

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 15 May 2024 16:47:57 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The town and castle date back to the founding of the Norman noble family Lacy. Walter de Lacy was given land here by William the Conqueror for his participation in the Battle of Hastings. He and his descendants founded the town and equipped it with strong fortifications. Following the Norman tradition, a wooden motte was first erected on a mound of earth. The oldest surviving stone part of the castle is the inner courtyard, which was built between 1086 and 1094 by Walter de Lacy's son Roger de Lacy.

The town was expanded by donations from the de Lacy family and was first mentioned in a document in 1138. In 1177, the town is said to have already had 1172 inhabitants.

In 1306, the town and castle passed to the Mortimer family by inheritance. During the Wars of the Roses, Ludlow Castle was briefly the headquarters of the leaders of the House of York: the future Edward IV lost the Battle of Ludlow in 1459, which led to his flight abroad and the provisional victory of the House of Lancaster.

A parish church was established in the late 11th century. It is situated atop the hill around which the medieval town developed. After its initial construction the church was expanded and rebuilt in 1199 to accommodate a growing town population. In the late Middle Ages considerable wealth accrued to the town based upon the wool trade. Correspondingly the church underwent several further additions in that era. The major works occurred between 1433 and 1471 with a virtual re-building of the nave, tower and chancel elements.

Two scenes of the choir stalls.

Above:
A mermaid flanked by two fish. She holds a mirror in her hand and symbolises vanity

Below:
On the left the devil, on the right the mouth of hell. In the centre, two woodwoses, the devil's assistants. The one on the right is holding a bagpipe, the one on the left has a drunken sinner on his shoulder.

Ourense - Catedral de Ourense

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 22:04:13 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The Romans were already here and utilised the hot springs. They built a bridge over the river, the Ponte romana, creating an important communication route, which was of course secured by fortifications.

In the 5th century, Ourense became the seat of a bishopric. As the capital of the kingdom of the Suebi, Ourense flourished in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Suebi king Teodomiro († 570) built the first cathedral in Ourense after converting from Arianism to Catholicism.

Constant raids by the Moorish conquerors and the Normans devastated the city to such an extent that it remained almost uninhabited for several centuries. It was rebuilt in 1071 under King Sancho II of Castile. In the following centuries, the city gained importance as a bishop's see, but also as a trading centre. In the 13th century, Ourense was an important trading centre in Galicia due to its geographical location and its large Jewish community. The economic decline began after the expulsion of Ourense's Jews in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs. In the centuries that followed, Ourense's importance steadily declined.

The earliest cathedral appears to have been a church dedicated to Santa María la Madre. In 550, the Suevian king Chararic built a second church here dedicated to St Martin of Tour. The cathedral was however repeatedly destroyed over the centuries by the Moors and the Northmen who invaded the city. Today's building was constructed as a Romanesque church in the 12th and 13th centuries. Gothic additions followed until the early 16th century. The consecration of the high altar was already in 1188.
The Romanesque portal of the northern transept was altered in the 15th century following damage. Two figures on the walls, interpreted as a prophet (left) and an apostle (right), are still preserved from the Romanesque portal. Part of the archivolts.

Úbeda - San Isidoro

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:26:00 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

During the Reconquista, in 1233, King Ferdinand III conquered Ubeda to the Kingdom of Castile. In 1368, the city was damaged during the Castilian Civil War between Peter I of Castile and Henry II of Castile. This, combined with other circumstances, caused the worsening of the rivalry between the nobel families de Trapera and de Aranda at first, and the families de la Cueva and de Molina after. This political instability was solved when the "Catholic Monarchs" ruled as they ordered the Alcázar, used by the nobility as a fortress, to be destroyed.
During the 16th century, these important Castilian aristocratic families from Úbeda reached top positions in the Spanish Monarchy administration. Notably, Francisco de los Cobos and Juan Vazquez de Molina became Secretaries of State for Emperor Charles V and Philip II respectively. Due to the patronage of arts of these competing families, Úbeda became a Renaissance focus in Spain.

Ubeda and neighboring Baeza benefited from this patronage resulting in the construction of a series of Renaissance style palaces and churches, which have been preserved ever since. In 2003, UNESCO declared the historic centres and landmarks of these two towns a World Heritage Site.

The church of San Isidoro combines the Gothic and Renaissance style. So it preserves Gothic architectural elements, in a city where the Renaissance predominates.

The façades of the church were created 1510 - 1515, according to the late Gothic architectural preferences of the bishop.

A weathered mermaid

Ávila - San Andrés

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 20:27:04 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Under the Visigoths, Ávila was one of the most important cities in the kingdom due to its proximity to the capital Toledo. From the 8th to the 11th centuries, Ávila was Moorish. The situation in the contested borderland between the Muslim and Christian worlds prevented prosperity, which only began in the 15th century when the fighting moved further south. The city experienced its heyday in the 16th century. The plague, the expulsion of the Moriscos (baptized Moors), and the emigration of many people to America caused Ávila's gradual decline, from which the city has only slowly recovered since the 19th century. Today the population is around 60,000.

The Church of San Andrés is considered the oldest Romanesque church building in the city. The church was probably built at the end of the 11th century - at the same time as the construction of the city walls of Ávila. San Andrés is north of the city walls.

This mermaid embellishes the west portal

León - Basílica de San Isidoro

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 14:03:22 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio".

After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V,

León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined.
The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site.

Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León.

In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil.

The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery.

There are interesting capitals along the nave.

A mermaid

León - Catedral de León

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:33:23 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio".

After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V,

León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined.

The main construction period of the cathedral was between 1255 and 1303.

The first architect was "Master Enrique", who had previously built the transept and nave of Burgos Cathedral between 1243 and 1260. "Master Enrique" directed the construction from 1255 to 1277, using Reims Cathedral as a model. The experience he gained in Burgos prompted him to take a risk, which paid off centuries later, as many openings later had to be bricked up for stability reasons. In the middle of the 19th century, the structure was on the verge of collapse and had to be completely restored. Reconstruction lasted from 1859 to 1901.

In 1302, the work was apparently stopped, probably for financial reasons. This may also be the reason for the comparatively short nave with only five bays, for the lack of a tower in the transept. The upper parts of the cathedral were not completed until 1439.

There are a number of grotesque carvings under the many misericords. Here is a mermaid (or merman).

Moudon - Saint-Étienne

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 11 May 2023 20:49:45 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Moudon, today a town with a population of about 6000, was called Minnodunum. In Roman times. Moudon was under the influence of the Savoy already in the early 13th century and became an important Savoyard base in Waadt / Vaud. Around 1260, under Peter of Savoy, it became the residence of the Savoy bailiff in Vaud. The importance of Moudon increased rapidly. The town area expanded and was surrounded by new walls. In 1285, Moudon was granted town privileges. Especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, the town flourished as an administrative center and of the Vaudois estates. With the conquest of Vaud by Bern in 1536, Moudon came under Bernese rule. The Reformation was introduced.

The church was first mentioned in 1134, even though it may have been built earlier. It was situated outside the medieval village. The church was nicknamed "the cathedral of Broye", a region around the Broye River, by the residents of Moudon. After a bell tower was added in 1420, the church was enlarged and renovated between 1495 and 1499, then again between 1499 and 1502. Paintings were added to the vaults between 1506 and 1511. After the conquest by the canton of Bern in 1536, the side altars and the statues of the church were destroyed and the building became a Reformed temple.
Some people must have been so disturbed by the nudity of the little mermaid that they amputated her breasts.

Lyon - Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 01 May 2023 21:36:41 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum (now Lyon) was an important Roman city in Gaul. It was the capital of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. The Christianization took place very early.
In 177, the Christian community sent a letter naming 48 of their number who had been martyred. In 843 it was ceded to Lorraine and then passed to the Kingdom of Burgundy, whose dominion was entrusted to the Archbishop of Lyon by Frederick Barbarossa in 1157. In 1312 Philip the Fair incorporated Lyon into the kingdom of France.
Lyon was the scene of an urban revolt in 1436 when Charles VII increased taxation. The uprising, mainly of small merchants, lasted a total of two months. During the reign of Louis XI. Four fairs were set up, attracting merchants from all over Europe, especially Italy. Lyon became an important center for the spice trade and, more importantly, the silk trade after François I granted the weaving rights, which until then had been an Italian monopoly. Florentine immigrants also made Lyon a financial center for banking and insurance.
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It is often said that the most beautiful cities are located on rivers. Lyon is situated on two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, which meet in the south of the city.
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The Lyon Cathedral was begun in 1180 on the ruins of a 6th-century church and completed in 1476.

In 1245, the church hosted the First Council of Lyon, where the Pope declared Emperor Frederick II deposed. In 1274, the Second Council of Lyon was held in the cathedral, mainly to discuss the union of the Catholic Church with the Greek Orthodox. On August 17, 1316, John XXII was elected pope in the cathedral. He was the second of the Avignon popes.

In 1562 the church was devastated by Calvinist Huguenots. In 1600 the cathedral was the scene of the marriage between King Henry IV and Mary de Medici.

The facade from the 14th and 15th centuries is influenced by the flamboyant Gothic style. Episodes from the Old and New Testaments are told in 300 picture panels.

The idyll by the lake depicts a happy "merfamily" with a musical father...

Lyon - Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 01 May 2023 11:44:28 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum (now Lyon) was an important Roman city in Gaul. It was the capital of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. The Christianization took place very early.
In 177, the Christian community sent a letter naming 48 of their number who had been martyred. In 843 it was ceded to Lorraine and then passed to the Kingdom of Burgundy, whose dominion was entrusted to the Archbishop of Lyon by Frederick Barbarossa in 1157. In 1312 Philip the Fair incorporated Lyon into the kingdom of France.
Lyon was the scene of an urban revolt in 1436 when Charles VII increased taxation. The uprising, mainly of small merchants, lasted a total of two months. During the reign of Louis XI. Four fairs were set up, attracting merchants from all over Europe, especially Italy. Lyon became an important center for the spice trade and, more importantly, the silk trade after François I granted the weaving rights, which until then had been an Italian monopoly. Florentine immigrants also made Lyon a financial center for banking and insurance.
-
It is often said that the most beautiful cities are located on rivers. Lyon is situated on two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, which meet in the south of the city.
-
The Lyon Cathedral was begun in 1180 on the ruins of a 6th-century church and completed in 1476.

In 1245, the church hosted the First Council of Lyon, where the Pope declared Emperor Frederick II deposed. In 1274, the Second Council of Lyon was held in the cathedral, mainly to discuss the union of the Catholic Church with the Greek Orthodox. On August 17, 1316, John XXII was elected pope in the cathedral. He was the second of the Avignon popes.

In 1562 the church was devastated by Calvinist Huguenots. In 1600 the cathedral was the scene of the marriage between King Henry IV and Mary de Medici.
The facade from the 14th and 15th centuries is influenced by the flamboyant Gothic style. Episodes from the Old and New Testaments are told in 300 picture panels. Here, however, a very musical mermaid plays an organ.

Vienne - Cathedral St. Maurice

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:59:38 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The oppidum of the Celtic Alobroges became a Roman colony about 47 BC under Julius Caesar, but the Allobroges managed to expel the Romans. The exiles moved north and founded the colony of Lugdunum (today's Lyon). During the early Empire, Vienna regained all its former privileges as a Roman colony. The city flourished and became the second capital of southern Gaul during the Roman Empire.

The first Christians lived in Vienne around 100 AD. In the 3rd century, the city became a bishopric. After the death of the childless last Burgundian king Rudolf III. Vienne fell in 1032 to the German king Conrad II and thus to the Holy Roman Empire. In the 12th century, Vienne became the capital of the Dauphiné. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Vienne experienced an economic boom, numerous houses were built in the half-timbered style of the time, and the cathedral was completed. During the Wars of Religion, the city was fought over and frequently looted.
The Diocese of Vienna existed from the third century until the "Concordat of 1801" between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pius VII. Since then it has been part of the Archdiocese of Lyon.

In 1311/1312 the "Council of Vienne" took place here. Pope Clement V, who was bullied by Philip IV of France, withdrew papal support for the Knights Templar - and dissolved the order.

The construction of St. Maurice Cathedral, which took more than 400 years, began in the 12th century. The choir was rebuilt in the 13th century. In the Gothic period, four bays were added and the nave was raised and arched.

There are 59 (!) Romanesque capitals in St. Maurice Cathedral, carved in the late 12th century.

A rather gnarly merman

Vienne - Abbaye de Saint-André-le-Bas

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 13:01:35 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The oppidum of the Celtic Alobroges became a Roman colony about 47 BC under Julius Caesar, but the Allobroges managed to expel the Romans. The exiles moved north and founded the colony of Lugdunum (today's Lyon). During the early Empire, Vienna regained all its former privileges as a Roman colony. The city flourished and became the second capital of southern Gaul during the Roman Empire.
The first Christians lived in Vienne around 100 AD. In the 3rd century, the city became a bishopric. After the death of the childless last Burgundian king Rudolf III. Vienne fell in 1032 to the German king Conrad II and thus to the Holy Roman Empire. In the 12th century, Vienne became the capital of the Dauphiné. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Vienne experienced an economic boom, numerous houses were built in the half-timbered style of the time, and the cathedral was completed. During the Wars of Religion, the city was fought over and frequently looted.

The abbey was founded in the 8th century. The monastery church became the palace chapel of the kings of Burgundy at the end of the 9th century. The monastery adopted the Benedictine rule probably at the end of the 10th century. The convent failed to recover from the Wars of Religion and the monastic life ended on the eve of the Revolution. The abbey church becomes parochial and the convent buildings are sold and partially dismantled.

The cloister survived the times. Here are some weathered mermaids.

La Seu d’Urgell - Cathedral of Santa Maria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 21:33:19 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

This was an important place already in pre-Roman times, known to Strabo as the city of "Orgialla". A bishopric existed already in 527 when the Bishop of Urgell attended a council in Toledo.

The bishopric here was (and still) is an important one, even the name "La Seu d'Urgell" translates to See of Urgell, and still today the Bishop of Urgell is co-prince of Andorra (The other co-prince is the French president).

The Cathedral of Santa Maria dates back to the 12th century. It had three predecessors. One of these older cathedrals was consecrated in 839 by Bishop Sisebut in the presence of Sunifred I, father of Wilfred the Hairy (aka Guifré el Pilós).

Bishop Otto of Urgell (1095-1122) initiated the present cathedral, planned and built by the architect (a term unknown at that time) "Raimundus Lambardus", but the building remained unfinished for quite a while, due to fights between the diocese and the Count Roger I of Foix, who preferred the Albingensian "heresy". In 1195 La Seu d'Urgell was sieged and looted - and at that time the present cathedral was used as a fortress.

Of course, over the next centuries, many parts were added and/or changed and modeled, as the architectural fashion changed quite a lot. Josep Puig i Cadafalch, actually an architect connected to the "Modernista", led the reconstruction of the whole complex from 1918 on.
The northern portal of the Cathedral of Santa Maria is "just" a side door, but it has some extraordinary capitals.

So here is a strange and rare combination of a mermaid and a Luxuria. Both stand for sexual lust, but so far I had never seen them combined. The two snakes have round heads - and eyes! The mermaid/Luxuria, with the typical long hair, has a rather stoic face. She does not seem interested in any kind of communication.