https://www.ipernity.com/tag/323415/keyword/116854 https://cdn.ipernity.com/p/105/57/EF/323415.buddy.jpg https://www.ipernity.com/tag/323415/keyword/116854 Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:32:22 +0000 Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:32:22 +0000 https://www.ipernity.com https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52717802 tag:ipernity.com,2024-12-10,doc-52717802 Tue, 10 Dec 2024 14:16:41 +0000 2024-07-01T15:16:41+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52717802"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/78/02/52717802.680dc1a2.240.jpg?r2" width="239" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The origins of St David's Cathedral date back to the 6th century, when St David (ca. 512-587) founded his monastery here. The community was attacked many times by Vikings and many clerics and bishops were murdered by the raiders. In 1081, William the Conqueror visited St Davids to pray, and thus recognised it as a holy and respected place.<br /> <br /> At Bishop Bernard's successful urging, Pope Callistus II added St David's to the calendar of saints in 1120 and issued a decree in 1123 that "two pilgrimages to St David's are equal to one to Rome and three pilgrimages to one to Jerusalem". Therefore, a larger cathedral was built by 1131. In 1171 King Henry II visited St David's.<br /> <br /> Construction of the current cathedral began in 1181 and was completed shortly afterwards. However, in 1220 the new tower collapsed and in 1248 an earthquake destroyed much of the chancel, choir and transept, so these parts were rebuilt. Reconstruction followed the 13th-century style with pointed arches.<br /> <br /> The next major phase of construction was started under Bishop Henry de Gower (1328–1347). He gave the cathedral's exterior a Gothic style. The cathedral was finally completed around 1520.<br /> <br /> From the 14th century onwards, the ensemble was completely surrounded by a massive wall, which originally had four gates. Of these, only the tower gate has survived, which is connected to the 13th century bell tower and opens the way from the cathedral to the city centre of St. David's.<br /> <br /> The Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries under the Tudor King Henry VIII in 1536 was a shock. The English Civil War also left significant damage to the building fabric caused by Oliver Cromwell's troops. The valuable lead covering was removed from the roof of the bishop's palace, leaving the building to decay. The roof of the transept of the cathedral was also uncovered in order to access the lead.<br /> <br /> It was not until the late 18th century that efforts were made to preserve at least parts of the cathedral complex. After the first attempt to restore the west front failed the whole building was restored between 1862 and 1870. <br /> <br /> The choir stalls were built in the late 15th to early 16th centuries. They feature misericords, which have a ledge on which choir members could rest inconspicuously while remaining standing, as was required during the long sung services in the Middle Ages.<br /> <br /> Two evil snakes<br /> <br /> A devouring monster</div> St Davids - Cathedral <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52717802"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/78/02/52717802.680dc1a2.240.jpg?r2" width="239" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The origins of St David's Cathedral date back to the 6th century, when St David (ca. 512-587) founded his monastery here. The community was attacked many times by Vikings and many clerics and bishops were murdered by the raiders. In 1081, William the Conqueror visited St Davids to pray, and thus recognised it as a holy and respected place.<br /> <br /> At Bishop Bernard's successful urging, Pope Callistus II added St David's to the calendar of saints in 1120 and issued a decree in 1123 that "two pilgrimages to St David's are equal to one to Rome and three pilgrimages to one to Jerusalem". Therefore, a larger cathedral was built by 1131. In 1171 King Henry II visited St David's.<br /> <br /> Construction of the current cathedral began in 1181 and was completed shortly afterwards. However, in 1220 the new tower collapsed and in 1248 an earthquake destroyed much of the chancel, choir and transept, so these parts were rebuilt. Reconstruction followed the 13th-century style with pointed arches.<br /> <br /> The next major phase of construction was started under Bishop Henry de Gower (1328–1347). He gave the cathedral's exterior a Gothic style. The cathedral was finally completed around 1520.<br /> <br /> From the 14th century onwards, the ensemble was completely surrounded by a massive wall, which originally had four gates. Of these, only the tower gate has survived, which is connected to the 13th century bell tower and opens the way from the cathedral to the city centre of St. David's.<br /> <br /> The Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries under the Tudor King Henry VIII in 1536 was a shock. The English Civil War also left significant damage to the building fabric caused by Oliver Cromwell's troops. The valuable lead covering was removed from the roof of the bishop's palace, leaving the building to decay. The roof of the transept of the cathedral was also uncovered in order to access the lead.<br /> <br /> It was not until the late 18th century that efforts were made to preserve at least parts of the cathedral complex. After the first attempt to restore the west front failed the whole building was restored between 1862 and 1870. <br /> <br /> The choir stalls were built in the late 15th to early 16th centuries. They feature misericords, which have a ledge on which choir members could rest inconspicuously while remaining standing, as was required during the long sung services in the Middle Ages.<br /> <br /> Two evil snakes<br /> <br /> A devouring monster</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52457714 tag:ipernity.com,2024-05-12,doc-52457714 Sun, 12 May 2024 20:50:34 +0000 2023-08-01T16:19:04+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52457714"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/14/52457714.aad94e29.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="99" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Until the 9th century the area around Kilpeck was within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng. After the Norman conquest it became part of Herefordshire. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Kilpeck was given by William the Conqueror to William Fitz Norman de la Mare. The clan de la Mare is one of the oldest in Normandy and is descended from Ragnvald Eysteinsson, earl of Møre and Romsdal.<br /> <br /> The village of Kilpeck is renowned for its small but outstanding Norman/Romanesque) St Mary and St David's Church. The church was built around 1140. In 1143 it was given to the Abbey of Gloucester. It may have replaced an earlier Saxon church at the same site, and the oval raised form of the churchyard is typical of even older Celtic foundations. When the church was built, the area around Kilpeck was relatively prosperous and strategically important. The economic decline of the area after the 14th century may have helped preserve features which would have been removed elsewhere. However, it is unclear why the carvings were not defaced by Puritans in the 17th century.<br /> <br /> The carvings in the local red sandstone are remarkable for their number and their fine state of preservation. The carvings are all original and in their original positions. They have been attributed to a Herefordshire School of stonemasons, probably local but who may have been instructed by master masons recruited in France by Oliver de Merlimond. He was steward to the Lord of Wigmore, Hugh Mortimer, who went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and, on his return, built a church with similar Romanesque carvings at Shobdon, 30 miles north of Kilpeck. Hugh de Kilpeck, a relative of Earl Mortimer, employed the same builders here.<br /> <br /> There are a very large number of corbels. Some are quite peculiar. A hunting dog and a hare (Disney should pay roayties for this), a gentleman who has unfortunately lost part of his jaw and a beast with a beak and arms devouring a sinner.</div> Kilpeck - St Mary and St David&#039;s Church <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52457714"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/14/52457714.aad94e29.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="99" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Until the 9th century the area around Kilpeck was within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng. After the Norman conquest it became part of Herefordshire. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Kilpeck was given by William the Conqueror to William Fitz Norman de la Mare. The clan de la Mare is one of the oldest in Normandy and is descended from Ragnvald Eysteinsson, earl of Møre and Romsdal.<br /> <br /> The village of Kilpeck is renowned for its small but outstanding Norman/Romanesque) St Mary and St David's Church. The church was built around 1140. In 1143 it was given to the Abbey of Gloucester. It may have replaced an earlier Saxon church at the same site, and the oval raised form of the churchyard is typical of even older Celtic foundations. When the church was built, the area around Kilpeck was relatively prosperous and strategically important. The economic decline of the area after the 14th century may have helped preserve features which would have been removed elsewhere. However, it is unclear why the carvings were not defaced by Puritans in the 17th century.<br /> <br /> The carvings in the local red sandstone are remarkable for their number and their fine state of preservation. The carvings are all original and in their original positions. They have been attributed to a Herefordshire School of stonemasons, probably local but who may have been instructed by master masons recruited in France by Oliver de Merlimond. He was steward to the Lord of Wigmore, Hugh Mortimer, who went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and, on his return, built a church with similar Romanesque carvings at Shobdon, 30 miles north of Kilpeck. Hugh de Kilpeck, a relative of Earl Mortimer, employed the same builders here.<br /> <br /> There are a very large number of corbels. Some are quite peculiar. A hunting dog and a hare (Disney should pay roayties for this), a gentleman who has unfortunately lost part of his jaw and a beast with a beak and arms devouring a sinner.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52457704 tag:ipernity.com,2024-05-12,doc-52457704 Sun, 12 May 2024 20:33:39 +0000 2023-08-01T16:18:48+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52457704"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/04/52457704.5dfe382b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="102" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Until the 9th century the area around Kilpeck was within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng. After the Norman conquest it became part of Herefordshire. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Kilpeck was given by William the Conqueror to William Fitz Norman de la Mare. The clan de la Mare is one of the oldest in Normandy and is descended from Ragnvald Eysteinsson, earl of Møre and Romsdal.<br /> <br /> The village of Kilpeck is renowned for its small but outstanding Norman/Romanesque) St Mary and St David's Church. The church was built around 1140. In 1143 it was given to the Abbey of Gloucester. It may have replaced an earlier Saxon church at the same site, and the oval raised form of the churchyard is typical of even older Celtic foundations. When the church was built, the area around Kilpeck was relatively prosperous and strategically important. The economic decline of the area after the 14th century may have helped preserve features which would have been removed elsewhere. However, it is unclear why the carvings were not defaced by Puritans in the 17th century.<br /> <br /> The carvings in the local red sandstone are remarkable for their number and their fine state of preservation. The carvings are all original and in their original positions. They have been attributed to a Herefordshire School of stonemasons, probably local but who may have been instructed by master masons recruited in France by Oliver de Merlimond. He was steward to the Lord of Wigmore, Hugh Mortimer, who went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and, on his return, built a church with similar Romanesque carvings at Shobdon, 30 miles north of Kilpeck. Hugh de Kilpeck, a relative of Earl Mortimer, employed the same builders here.<br /> <br /> There are a very large number of corbels. Some are quite peculiar. A beast, devouring two human souls, a very astonished gentleman and a bull in a strange position</div> Kilpeck - St Mary and St David&#039;s Church <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52457704"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/04/52457704.5dfe382b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="102" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Until the 9th century the area around Kilpeck was within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng. After the Norman conquest it became part of Herefordshire. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Kilpeck was given by William the Conqueror to William Fitz Norman de la Mare. The clan de la Mare is one of the oldest in Normandy and is descended from Ragnvald Eysteinsson, earl of Møre and Romsdal.<br /> <br /> The village of Kilpeck is renowned for its small but outstanding Norman/Romanesque) St Mary and St David's Church. The church was built around 1140. In 1143 it was given to the Abbey of Gloucester. It may have replaced an earlier Saxon church at the same site, and the oval raised form of the churchyard is typical of even older Celtic foundations. When the church was built, the area around Kilpeck was relatively prosperous and strategically important. The economic decline of the area after the 14th century may have helped preserve features which would have been removed elsewhere. However, it is unclear why the carvings were not defaced by Puritans in the 17th century.<br /> <br /> The carvings in the local red sandstone are remarkable for their number and their fine state of preservation. The carvings are all original and in their original positions. They have been attributed to a Herefordshire School of stonemasons, probably local but who may have been instructed by master masons recruited in France by Oliver de Merlimond. He was steward to the Lord of Wigmore, Hugh Mortimer, who went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and, on his return, built a church with similar Romanesque carvings at Shobdon, 30 miles north of Kilpeck. Hugh de Kilpeck, a relative of Earl Mortimer, employed the same builders here.<br /> <br /> There are a very large number of corbels. Some are quite peculiar. A beast, devouring two human souls, a very astonished gentleman and a bull in a strange position</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52113416 tag:ipernity.com,2023-09-12,doc-52113416 Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:44:10 +0000 2022-12-01T13:25:33+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52113416"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/34/16/52113416.82c66deb.240.jpg?r2" width="183" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">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".<br /> <br /> 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,<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> There are interesting capitals along the nave.<br /> <br /> Devouring beasts</div> León - Basílica de San Isidoro <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/52113416"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/34/16/52113416.82c66deb.240.jpg?r2" width="183" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">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".<br /> <br /> 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,<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> There are interesting capitals along the nave.<br /> <br /> Devouring beasts</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/51860024 tag:ipernity.com,2023-04-16,doc-51860024 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 19:44:23 +0000 2022-07-01T14:16:52+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/51860024"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/00/24/51860024.d18bff9a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="173" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Church of Saint-Denis de Pommevic originally belonged to a priory of the Abbey of Moissac and was consecrated in 1052. After the Hundred Years' War the priory fell into disrepair. Later the church was enlarged and expanded.<br /> <br /> Hellish beasts that devour men. Poor souls.</div> Pommevic - Saint-Denis <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/51860024"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/00/24/51860024.d18bff9a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="173" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Church of Saint-Denis de Pommevic originally belonged to a priory of the Abbey of Moissac and was consecrated in 1052. After the Hundred Years' War the priory fell into disrepair. Later the church was enlarged and expanded.<br /> <br /> Hellish beasts that devour men. Poor souls.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50544072 tag:ipernity.com,2021-01-16,doc-50544072 Sat, 16 Jan 2021 10:50:10 +0000 2020-10-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50544072"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/40/72/50544072.487744a6.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="224" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Lindau, located near the borders to Austria and Switzerland, was mentioned first time in 882 when a nunnery was founded here. The old town is on an island, which meanwhile is connected with the mainland by a road bridge and a railway dam.<br /> <br /> The church of St. Stephan was built around 1180, Franciscans founded a monastery here in 1224. In 1274/75 Lindau became an Imperial Free City under King Rudolf I.<br /> <br /> Lindau became Protestant in 1528. The nunnery remained Catholic while the Franciscan monastery, from which the first Reformation preachers came, was closed. During the Thirty Years' War, Lindau was unsuccessfully besieged by Swedish troops in 1646/47. Between 1445 and 1761, 18 people were indicted in witch trials in Lindau. The last victim of the witch hunt was Maria Madlener, who was executed on August 4, 1730.<br /> <br /> St. Stephan, founded 1180, is the largest church on the island, located next to the Catholic Münster Unserer Lieben Frau right on the marketplace. After several expansions, the church lost its Romanesque facade in 1506. Some parts of it survived the time - like this portal lion.</div> Lindau - St. Stephan <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50544072"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/40/72/50544072.487744a6.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="224" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Lindau, located near the borders to Austria and Switzerland, was mentioned first time in 882 when a nunnery was founded here. The old town is on an island, which meanwhile is connected with the mainland by a road bridge and a railway dam.<br /> <br /> The church of St. Stephan was built around 1180, Franciscans founded a monastery here in 1224. In 1274/75 Lindau became an Imperial Free City under King Rudolf I.<br /> <br /> Lindau became Protestant in 1528. The nunnery remained Catholic while the Franciscan monastery, from which the first Reformation preachers came, was closed. During the Thirty Years' War, Lindau was unsuccessfully besieged by Swedish troops in 1646/47. Between 1445 and 1761, 18 people were indicted in witch trials in Lindau. The last victim of the witch hunt was Maria Madlener, who was executed on August 4, 1730.<br /> <br /> St. Stephan, founded 1180, is the largest church on the island, located next to the Catholic Münster Unserer Lieben Frau right on the marketplace. After several expansions, the church lost its Romanesque facade in 1506. Some parts of it survived the time - like this portal lion.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50462648 tag:ipernity.com,2020-11-05,doc-50462648 Thu, 05 Nov 2020 13:27:26 +0000 2019-10-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50462648"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/26/48/50462648.dedff409.240.jpg?r2" width="170" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The original settlement of Matera lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a complex of cave dwellings carved into the ancient river canyon. The settlement is divided into the districts of Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso.<br /> <br /> The cave settlements in the area are an exceptional example in the Mediterranean area. Inhabited since the Neolithic Age, Matera can be considered one of the oldest cities in the world.<br /> <br /> According to Greek, Roman, Langobard and Byzantine history, which Matera shares with all of southern Italy, Saracens devastated the place in 938. It came under Norman rule in 1043, became a royal seat and thus achieved considerable wealth. This bloom continued under the subsequent regiments of the Staufer and Anjou, in 1270 the cathedral of Matera was completed.<br /> <br /> Already by the late 1800s, Matera's cave dwellings became noted for intractable poverty, poor sanitation, meager working conditions, and rampant disease. In 1948, when the city was hit by malaria, 15,000 people lived in 3,300 rooms. From the 1950s on the residents were relocated to newly built apartment blocks. Since the Sassi are now a museum town, tourism is also becoming increasingly important.<br /> <br /> Known as la città sotterranea ("the underground city"), the Sassi and the park of the Rupestrian Churches were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. In 2019, Matera was declared a European Capital of Culture.<br /> <br /> Today Matera has a population of about 60.000, who live in the city "above" the sassi.<br /> <br /> The Matera Cathedral (Cattedrale della Madonna della Bruna e di Sant'Eustachio) was built on the highest point between the two sassi, on the site of the ancient Church of Saint Eustace. The erection in Apulian Romanesque style started in 1230 at the behest of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, Holy Roman Emperor and Count of Matera. A few years earlier Pope Innocent III had raised Matera to the rank of archdiocese in union with Acerenza. It was completed in 1270.<br /> <br /> Unlike the interior which has undergone several transformations over time, the exterior retains its original form almost intact.<br /> <br /> A "window frame". Two lions, devouring rams, and above them two griffons as well torturing and devouring creatures.</div> Matera - Cattedrale di Matera <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50462648"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/26/48/50462648.dedff409.240.jpg?r2" width="170" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The original settlement of Matera lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a complex of cave dwellings carved into the ancient river canyon. The settlement is divided into the districts of Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso.<br /> <br /> The cave settlements in the area are an exceptional example in the Mediterranean area. Inhabited since the Neolithic Age, Matera can be considered one of the oldest cities in the world.<br /> <br /> According to Greek, Roman, Langobard and Byzantine history, which Matera shares with all of southern Italy, Saracens devastated the place in 938. It came under Norman rule in 1043, became a royal seat and thus achieved considerable wealth. This bloom continued under the subsequent regiments of the Staufer and Anjou, in 1270 the cathedral of Matera was completed.<br /> <br /> Already by the late 1800s, Matera's cave dwellings became noted for intractable poverty, poor sanitation, meager working conditions, and rampant disease. In 1948, when the city was hit by malaria, 15,000 people lived in 3,300 rooms. From the 1950s on the residents were relocated to newly built apartment blocks. Since the Sassi are now a museum town, tourism is also becoming increasingly important.<br /> <br /> Known as la città sotterranea ("the underground city"), the Sassi and the park of the Rupestrian Churches were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. In 2019, Matera was declared a European Capital of Culture.<br /> <br /> Today Matera has a population of about 60.000, who live in the city "above" the sassi.<br /> <br /> The Matera Cathedral (Cattedrale della Madonna della Bruna e di Sant'Eustachio) was built on the highest point between the two sassi, on the site of the ancient Church of Saint Eustace. The erection in Apulian Romanesque style started in 1230 at the behest of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, Holy Roman Emperor and Count of Matera. A few years earlier Pope Innocent III had raised Matera to the rank of archdiocese in union with Acerenza. It was completed in 1270.<br /> <br /> Unlike the interior which has undergone several transformations over time, the exterior retains its original form almost intact.<br /> <br /> A "window frame". Two lions, devouring rams, and above them two griffons as well torturing and devouring creatures.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50403694 tag:ipernity.com,2020-10-08,doc-50403694 Thu, 08 Oct 2020 12:51:12 +0000 2019-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50403694"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/36/94/50403694.4d32e598.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.<br /> <br /> After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples.<br /> <br /> Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces.<br /> <br /> -<br /> Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns.<br /> <br /> I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple.<br /> <br /> It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto.<br /> <br /> The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used.<br /> <br /> There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories.<br /> <br /> As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals.<br /> <br /> An evil creature (snake, bird, human..) is going to devour devours a person, that is clearly darker than the workers on the left. An (Arabian?) Saracen? A "dark soul"? Anyway - a very poor soul.</div> Otranto - Cattedrale di Otranto <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50403694"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/36/94/50403694.4d32e598.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.<br /> <br /> After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples.<br /> <br /> Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces.<br /> <br /> -<br /> Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns.<br /> <br /> I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple.<br /> <br /> It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto.<br /> <br /> The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used.<br /> <br /> There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories.<br /> <br /> As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals.<br /> <br /> An evil creature (snake, bird, human..) is going to devour devours a person, that is clearly darker than the workers on the left. An (Arabian?) Saracen? A "dark soul"? Anyway - a very poor soul.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50257976 tag:ipernity.com,2020-08-11,doc-50257976 Tue, 11 Aug 2020 19:57:12 +0000 2019-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50257976"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/79/76/50257976.a90e107c.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="192" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Troia was probably founded by Greek settlers under the name of Aecae. The current Troia was founded as a fortified town in 1018 the by the Byzantine general Basil Boiannes. For long it was a stronghold against the Normans and got besieged by the emperors Henry II and Frederick II, who destroyed the town in 1229.<br /> <br /> He did not touch the "Concattedrale della Beata Vergine Maria Assunta in Cielo", erected in the first quarter of the 12th century where a Byzantine church formerly stood, that was apparently constructed largely from the remains of Roman buildings.<br /> <br /> The Concattedrale di Troia, once the seat of the Bishops of Troia, now a co-cathedral in the diocese of Lucera-Troia, is reckoned a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque architecture.<br /> <br /> In particular it is noted for the bronze doors of the main portal and the side portal, created in 1119 by Oderisio da Benevento in niello technique.<br /> <br /> The pulpit of the concathedral is pretty unique, as following the inscription, it was created in 1169. The relief on the left side maybe even some decades older and got "reused" here. A lion devouring a sheep gets attacked by a dog(?).</div> Troia - Concattedrale di Troia <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/50257976"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/79/76/50257976.a90e107c.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="192" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Troia was probably founded by Greek settlers under the name of Aecae. The current Troia was founded as a fortified town in 1018 the by the Byzantine general Basil Boiannes. For long it was a stronghold against the Normans and got besieged by the emperors Henry II and Frederick II, who destroyed the town in 1229.<br /> <br /> He did not touch the "Concattedrale della Beata Vergine Maria Assunta in Cielo", erected in the first quarter of the 12th century where a Byzantine church formerly stood, that was apparently constructed largely from the remains of Roman buildings.<br /> <br /> The Concattedrale di Troia, once the seat of the Bishops of Troia, now a co-cathedral in the diocese of Lucera-Troia, is reckoned a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque architecture.<br /> <br /> In particular it is noted for the bronze doors of the main portal and the side portal, created in 1119 by Oderisio da Benevento in niello technique.<br /> <br /> The pulpit of the concathedral is pretty unique, as following the inscription, it was created in 1169. The relief on the left side maybe even some decades older and got "reused" here. A lion devouring a sheep gets attacked by a dog(?).</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/46196270 tag:ipernity.com,2018-01-30,doc-46196270 Tue, 30 Jan 2018 20:00:59 +0000 2017-07-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/46196270"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/62/70/46196270.3fe0fd86.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="214" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The city of Thiviers has been conquered, ruined and looted a couple of times. At the end of the 12th century it was English, taken by Richard Lionheart, later it was French again. Lionheart´s brother John Lackland conquered Thiviers in 1211, but only a year later, it was reconquered by French troops. 1374 - 1376 it was English again, before finally Charles VI. (aka "le Bien-Aimé", "le Fou") took over.<br /> <br /> In 1575, during the Wars of Religion, Thiviers was conquered by Calvinists, who ruined the church and massacred the Catholic population.<br /> <br /> So Notre-Dame de l'Assomption is the result of many rebuilding and reconstruction periods. The last one was completed within the 19th century. Only the transept and some capitals date back to the 12th century.<br /> <br /> Here is one of the capitals. <br /> <br /> Are the lions (and the puppet-like riders) beiong devoured by the large heads on the corners? Or do the lions share these heads? Or... what about the body below the lions in the center. What do the puppets hold in their hands. Why is the left rider so much larger, but sits wrong around on the lion? Or...</div> Thiviers - Notre-Dame de l&#039;Assomption <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/46196270"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/62/70/46196270.3fe0fd86.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="214" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The city of Thiviers has been conquered, ruined and looted a couple of times. At the end of the 12th century it was English, taken by Richard Lionheart, later it was French again. Lionheart´s brother John Lackland conquered Thiviers in 1211, but only a year later, it was reconquered by French troops. 1374 - 1376 it was English again, before finally Charles VI. (aka "le Bien-Aimé", "le Fou") took over.<br /> <br /> In 1575, during the Wars of Religion, Thiviers was conquered by Calvinists, who ruined the church and massacred the Catholic population.<br /> <br /> So Notre-Dame de l'Assomption is the result of many rebuilding and reconstruction periods. The last one was completed within the 19th century. Only the transept and some capitals date back to the 12th century.<br /> <br /> Here is one of the capitals. <br /> <br /> Are the lions (and the puppet-like riders) beiong devoured by the large heads on the corners? Or do the lions share these heads? Or... what about the body below the lions in the center. What do the puppets hold in their hands. Why is the left rider so much larger, but sits wrong around on the lion? Or...</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/46195860 tag:ipernity.com,2018-01-30,doc-46195860 Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:18:50 +0000 2017-07-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/46195860"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/58/60/46195860.2577bb66.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The city of Thiviers has been conquered, ruined and looted a couple of times. At the end of the 12th century it was English, taken by Richard Lionheart, later it was French again. Lionheart´s brother John Lackland conquered Thiviers in 1211, but only a year later, it was reconquered by French troops. 1374 - 1376 it was English again, before finally Charles VI. (aka "le Bien-Aimé", "le Fou") took over.<br /> <br /> In 1575, during the Wars of Religion, Thiviers was conquered by Calvinists, who ruined the church and massacred the Catholic population.<br /> <br /> So Notre-Dame de l'Assomption is the result of many rebuilding and reconstruction periods. The last one was completed within the 19th century. Only the transept and some capitals date back to the 12th century.<br /> <br /> Here is one of the capitals. Huge, dangerous, wild creatures devour poor souls.</div> Thiviers - Notre-Dame de l&#039;Assomption <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/46195860"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/58/60/46195860.2577bb66.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The city of Thiviers has been conquered, ruined and looted a couple of times. At the end of the 12th century it was English, taken by Richard Lionheart, later it was French again. Lionheart´s brother John Lackland conquered Thiviers in 1211, but only a year later, it was reconquered by French troops. 1374 - 1376 it was English again, before finally Charles VI. (aka "le Bien-Aimé", "le Fou") took over.<br /> <br /> In 1575, during the Wars of Religion, Thiviers was conquered by Calvinists, who ruined the church and massacred the Catholic population.<br /> <br /> So Notre-Dame de l'Assomption is the result of many rebuilding and reconstruction periods. The last one was completed within the 19th century. Only the transept and some capitals date back to the 12th century.<br /> <br /> Here is one of the capitals. Huge, dangerous, wild creatures devour poor souls.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/45488232 tag:ipernity.com,2017-09-11,doc-45488232 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 22:02:46 +0000 2016-12-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/45488232"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/32/45488232.57610429.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="148" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here.<br /> <br /> End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions.<br /> <br /> In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley.<br /> <br /> The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic".<br /> At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy.<br /> <br /> Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city").<br /> <br /> In the center of the Città alta is the old town hall "Palazzo della Ragione" (aka "Palazzo Vecchio"), erected 1183 - 1198. It burnt down and got rebuilt at least twice over the centuries. <br /> <br /> The open ground floor served as a market hall, but it was as well as the place for public trials. There are some very interesting capitals here. This one is near the adjoining Duomo.</div> Bergamo - Palazzo della Ragione <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/45488232"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/32/45488232.57610429.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="148" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here.<br /> <br /> End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions.<br /> <br /> In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley.<br /> <br /> The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic".<br /> At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy.<br /> <br /> Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city").<br /> <br /> In the center of the Città alta is the old town hall "Palazzo della Ragione" (aka "Palazzo Vecchio"), erected 1183 - 1198. It burnt down and got rebuilt at least twice over the centuries. <br /> <br /> The open ground floor served as a market hall, but it was as well as the place for public trials. There are some very interesting capitals here. This one is near the adjoining Duomo.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/45412954 tag:ipernity.com,2017-08-29,doc-45412954 Tue, 29 Aug 2017 15:06:46 +0000 2016-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/45412954"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/29/54/45412954.d1222681.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="183" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Stift Millstatt ("Millstatt Abbey") was founded by the Aribo II and Boto, members of Aribonids, a noble, Bavarian family, around 1070.<br /> <br /> Run by Benedictine monks and protected by Papal deeds Stift Millstatt prospered in the early years and a nunnery was added.<br /> <br /> Within the 13th century, the decay began. As the abbey had secular Church Vogts, it suffered strongly under the political powergames of that timne and finaly ended 1456 under the House of Habsburg. At that time only 10 monks still lived here.<br /> <br /> Emperor Frederick III reached a papal bull in 1469, so that the military order of the Knights of Saint George took over Stift Millstatt in order to fight the invading troops of the Ottoman Empire.<br /> <br /> The order now had to cope with the debts left by the Benedictines and the redevelopment of the neglected premises. While the knights were engaged with the fortification of the monastery, they failed to protect the region. Millstatt was heavily devastated by the Turks in 1478, followed by Hungarian troops in 1487. As the power of the knightly order declined, unrests and revolts arose among the peasants.<br /> <br /> As the new Protestant belief spread in the area the monastery vested the Society of Jesus ("Jesuits") in 1598 to support the Counter-Reformation.<br /> <br /> The monks were disliked by the population for their stern measures. In 1737 the displeasure culminated in open revolt, when peasants ganged up and stormed the monastery. The rule of the Jesuits ended, when the order was suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773. The monks had to leave Millstatt.<br /> <br /> Today the former abbey-church serves the parish, while the other buildings belong to the Austrian state and host the "Österreichische Bundesforste" (Austrian State Forestry Commission).<br /> <br /> The church underwent numerous alterations over the centuries. It did not only suffer from fires, but as well from earthquakes. A strong quake in 1690 heavily damaged the western facade.<br /> <br /> The side portal of the former abby church is in the northeastern corner of the cloister. This is from where the monks entered the church. The portal was "remodeled" around 1500, using Romanesque sculptures, that probably were created 1150-1200 for different places. <br /> <br /> A devouring monster over a capital with a group of mermaids. The poor victim in the monster´s mouth holds a kind of tool..</div> Millstatt am See - Stift Millstatt <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/45412954"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/29/54/45412954.d1222681.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="183" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Stift Millstatt ("Millstatt Abbey") was founded by the Aribo II and Boto, members of Aribonids, a noble, Bavarian family, around 1070.<br /> <br /> Run by Benedictine monks and protected by Papal deeds Stift Millstatt prospered in the early years and a nunnery was added.<br /> <br /> Within the 13th century, the decay began. As the abbey had secular Church Vogts, it suffered strongly under the political powergames of that timne and finaly ended 1456 under the House of Habsburg. At that time only 10 monks still lived here.<br /> <br /> Emperor Frederick III reached a papal bull in 1469, so that the military order of the Knights of Saint George took over Stift Millstatt in order to fight the invading troops of the Ottoman Empire.<br /> <br /> The order now had to cope with the debts left by the Benedictines and the redevelopment of the neglected premises. While the knights were engaged with the fortification of the monastery, they failed to protect the region. Millstatt was heavily devastated by the Turks in 1478, followed by Hungarian troops in 1487. As the power of the knightly order declined, unrests and revolts arose among the peasants.<br /> <br /> As the new Protestant belief spread in the area the monastery vested the Society of Jesus ("Jesuits") in 1598 to support the Counter-Reformation.<br /> <br /> The monks were disliked by the population for their stern measures. In 1737 the displeasure culminated in open revolt, when peasants ganged up and stormed the monastery. The rule of the Jesuits ended, when the order was suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773. The monks had to leave Millstatt.<br /> <br /> Today the former abbey-church serves the parish, while the other buildings belong to the Austrian state and host the "Österreichische Bundesforste" (Austrian State Forestry Commission).<br /> <br /> The church underwent numerous alterations over the centuries. It did not only suffer from fires, but as well from earthquakes. A strong quake in 1690 heavily damaged the western facade.<br /> <br /> The side portal of the former abby church is in the northeastern corner of the cloister. This is from where the monks entered the church. The portal was "remodeled" around 1500, using Romanesque sculptures, that probably were created 1150-1200 for different places. <br /> <br /> A devouring monster over a capital with a group of mermaids. The poor victim in the monster´s mouth holds a kind of tool..</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44873140 tag:ipernity.com,2017-05-29,doc-44873140 Mon, 29 May 2017 07:34:12 +0000 2016-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44873140"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/31/40/44873140.8417e536.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="181" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne was the church of the Abbey of St. Benignus. The church, erected in Gothic style 1280-1325, became the seat of the Bishopric of Dijon after the French Revolution.<br /> <br /> The first church here was a basilica built over the grave of Saint Benignus, who in the third century had come to Gaul from Smyrna as a missionary. He worked successfully in Burgundy - and got martyred. His sarcophagus was placed in a crypt, built by Saint Gregory of Langres in 511, a basilica over that crypt was completed in 535.<br /> <br /> In 990 Saint Mayeul, Abbot of Cluny, appointed William of Volpiano the new abbot here. William immidiatly started withe the construction of a new Romanesque church, that - instead of an apse - had a rotunda, 17 metres in diameter.<br /> <br /> In 1137 a fire destroyed most of the town and damaged the monastery and its church. The repaired building was consecrated by Pope Eugene III in 1147.<br /> <br /> In 1272 the crossing tower collapsed, destroying the whole of the upper church and severely damaging the subterranean one, and smashing some of the supporting columns of the rotunda. In 1280 the construction of a new Gothic abbey church started. This is the church seen today. What was left of the rotunda was destroyed after the Revolution.<br /> <br /> What remains is the lowest storey, which was excavated in the 19th century and has since been reworked as a crypt. There are some nicely carved capitals, created by at least two different workshops at different times. Here is a more complex (and damaged) one. Devouring beasts?</div> Dijon - Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44873140"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/31/40/44873140.8417e536.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="181" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne was the church of the Abbey of St. Benignus. The church, erected in Gothic style 1280-1325, became the seat of the Bishopric of Dijon after the French Revolution.<br /> <br /> The first church here was a basilica built over the grave of Saint Benignus, who in the third century had come to Gaul from Smyrna as a missionary. He worked successfully in Burgundy - and got martyred. His sarcophagus was placed in a crypt, built by Saint Gregory of Langres in 511, a basilica over that crypt was completed in 535.<br /> <br /> In 990 Saint Mayeul, Abbot of Cluny, appointed William of Volpiano the new abbot here. William immidiatly started withe the construction of a new Romanesque church, that - instead of an apse - had a rotunda, 17 metres in diameter.<br /> <br /> In 1137 a fire destroyed most of the town and damaged the monastery and its church. The repaired building was consecrated by Pope Eugene III in 1147.<br /> <br /> In 1272 the crossing tower collapsed, destroying the whole of the upper church and severely damaging the subterranean one, and smashing some of the supporting columns of the rotunda. In 1280 the construction of a new Gothic abbey church started. This is the church seen today. What was left of the rotunda was destroyed after the Revolution.<br /> <br /> What remains is the lowest storey, which was excavated in the 19th century and has since been reworked as a crypt. There are some nicely carved capitals, created by at least two different workshops at different times. Here is a more complex (and damaged) one. Devouring beasts?</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44750628 tag:ipernity.com,2017-05-05,doc-44750628 Fri, 05 May 2017 14:59:26 +0000 2016-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44750628"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/06/28/44750628.f2d20785.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Saint-Genès, erected in the 11th and 12th century, was the church of the priory Saint-Etienne, dependent from the important Abbaye Notre-Dame in Déols. This abbey, now in ruins, had been founded in 917 and developed into one of the most powerful regional institutions. It was one of the first in the Cluniac network. Odo of Cluny (+ 942) was abbot of three monasteries: Cluny, Massy and Deols. This is important, as Saint-Genès has architectural parralells to Cluny II and Cluny III.<br /> <br /> The building got severely damaged, when Louis VII (aka "Louis le Jeune", 1. husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine) burnt down the town in 1152 during a feud with Abbo II de Déols, a supporter of Henri Plantagenêt (aka Henry II, "Curtmantle", 2. husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine). In 1569 the Huguenots set fire here - and many restorations followed that. During the French Revolution the bell tower was destroyed and the church became a "Temple of Reason".<br /> <br /> The carvings inside were created by (at least) two different workshops. There are rough and archaic capitals, that are probably older than the more elaborated, "sophisticared" ones. This one is probably from a third workshop. <br /> <br /> A hellish creature is just about to devour the person in the center. What thought to be a "helmet" over the wrinkeld face - is the giant mouth of that creature. To the left a bird swallows a fish, probably a symbol, of how easy it is for a devil, to devour a soul. To the right a devil bites into the shoulder of a large sitting person, who himself bites into a apple..</div> Châteaumeillant - Saint-Genès <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44750628"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/06/28/44750628.f2d20785.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Saint-Genès, erected in the 11th and 12th century, was the church of the priory Saint-Etienne, dependent from the important Abbaye Notre-Dame in Déols. This abbey, now in ruins, had been founded in 917 and developed into one of the most powerful regional institutions. It was one of the first in the Cluniac network. Odo of Cluny (+ 942) was abbot of three monasteries: Cluny, Massy and Deols. This is important, as Saint-Genès has architectural parralells to Cluny II and Cluny III.<br /> <br /> The building got severely damaged, when Louis VII (aka "Louis le Jeune", 1. husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine) burnt down the town in 1152 during a feud with Abbo II de Déols, a supporter of Henri Plantagenêt (aka Henry II, "Curtmantle", 2. husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine). In 1569 the Huguenots set fire here - and many restorations followed that. During the French Revolution the bell tower was destroyed and the church became a "Temple of Reason".<br /> <br /> The carvings inside were created by (at least) two different workshops. There are rough and archaic capitals, that are probably older than the more elaborated, "sophisticared" ones. This one is probably from a third workshop. <br /> <br /> A hellish creature is just about to devour the person in the center. What thought to be a "helmet" over the wrinkeld face - is the giant mouth of that creature. To the left a bird swallows a fish, probably a symbol, of how easy it is for a devil, to devour a soul. To the right a devil bites into the shoulder of a large sitting person, who himself bites into a apple..</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44706840 tag:ipernity.com,2017-04-27,doc-44706840 Thu, 27 Apr 2017 21:00:46 +0000 2016-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44706840"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/68/40/44706840.5fc3e0e1.240.jpg?r2" width="180" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Benedictian abbey Notre Dame in Déols had established a priory here in the 11th century. Located in the center of La Celle (pop 350) is Saint Blaise, the fromer priory´s church. It was erected in two phases (from east to west) during the 12th century. Flying buttresses had to be added in the 18th century, when the structure started to crack.<br /> <br /> The Benedictian abbey Notre Dame in Déols had established a priory here in the 11th century. Saint Blaise, the priory´s church, was erected in two phases (from east to west) during the 12th century. Flying buttresses had to be added in the 18th century, when the structure of the nave started to crack.<br /> <br /> Around the apse are some extraordinary carvings. A cat (from hell!) devours a human head - just like a corn cob.<br /> <br /> Quarries near the village were already used since Roman times and so some stone mason masters may have worked here in medieval times. <br /> St. Blasie, one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers", is the parton saint for stone masons and carvers. Today he is better known for the "Blessing of the Throats", celebrated on he Feast of Saint Blasie (February 3.).</div> La Celle - Saint-Blaise <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/44706840"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/68/40/44706840.5fc3e0e1.240.jpg?r2" width="180" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Benedictian abbey Notre Dame in Déols had established a priory here in the 11th century. Located in the center of La Celle (pop 350) is Saint Blaise, the fromer priory´s church. It was erected in two phases (from east to west) during the 12th century. Flying buttresses had to be added in the 18th century, when the structure started to crack.<br /> <br /> The Benedictian abbey Notre Dame in Déols had established a priory here in the 11th century. Saint Blaise, the priory´s church, was erected in two phases (from east to west) during the 12th century. Flying buttresses had to be added in the 18th century, when the structure of the nave started to crack.<br /> <br /> Around the apse are some extraordinary carvings. A cat (from hell!) devours a human head - just like a corn cob.<br /> <br /> Quarries near the village were already used since Roman times and so some stone mason masters may have worked here in medieval times. <br /> St. Blasie, one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers", is the parton saint for stone masons and carvers. Today he is better known for the "Blessing of the Throats", celebrated on he Feast of Saint Blasie (February 3.).</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/42057190 tag:ipernity.com,2016-05-30,doc-42057190 Mon, 30 May 2016 21:32:41 +0000 2012-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/42057190"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/71/90/42057190.868f791a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="193" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Trogir was founded by Greek colonists in the 3rd century BC. In Roman times this was an important harbour town. From the 9th century on Trogir was under Croatian rule and later part of the Byzantine empire. A diocese was established in the 11th century, in 1107 the Hungarian-Croatian King Coloman ("The Bookish", "Kálmán Könyves") granted the autonomy.<br /> <br /> Saracen troops conquered Trogir in 1123 and demolished most of it. From 1420 upto 1797 Trogir belonged to the Republic of Venice. For a short while it belonged to the Napoleonic kingdom of Italy, but upto 1918 Trogir was part of the Habsburg Empire.<br /> <br /> Trogir is more than 2000 years old. It grew under the influence of the ancient Greeks, the Romans, and the Venetians... Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises (about 10) churches, houses and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods.<br /> <br /> Since 1997 the centre of Trogir is a "UNESCO World Heritage Site".<br /> <br /> The Cathedral of St. Lawrence was erected from 1213 on the foundations of cathedral destroyed by the Saracens in 1123. Most of the work was done in the 13th century.<br /> <br /> This cathedral is world wide known for Master Radovan´s portal. The portal was carved by the local architect and sculptor Master Radovan (and his workshop). It was completed and signed by Radovan in 1240.<br /> <br /> In the late 13th century, the outer archivolt was added to the portal.<br /> This archivolt was not carved by Radovan, but by craftsmen of the still existing studio. The scenes have a slightly different style. <br /> <br /> This little oculus is probably as well a little younger. <br /> <br /> Two evil dragons from hell form a heart - and devour a poor soul.</div> Trogir - Cathedral of St. Lawrence <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/42057190"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/71/90/42057190.868f791a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="193" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Trogir was founded by Greek colonists in the 3rd century BC. In Roman times this was an important harbour town. From the 9th century on Trogir was under Croatian rule and later part of the Byzantine empire. A diocese was established in the 11th century, in 1107 the Hungarian-Croatian King Coloman ("The Bookish", "Kálmán Könyves") granted the autonomy.<br /> <br /> Saracen troops conquered Trogir in 1123 and demolished most of it. From 1420 upto 1797 Trogir belonged to the Republic of Venice. For a short while it belonged to the Napoleonic kingdom of Italy, but upto 1918 Trogir was part of the Habsburg Empire.<br /> <br /> Trogir is more than 2000 years old. It grew under the influence of the ancient Greeks, the Romans, and the Venetians... Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises (about 10) churches, houses and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods.<br /> <br /> Since 1997 the centre of Trogir is a "UNESCO World Heritage Site".<br /> <br /> The Cathedral of St. Lawrence was erected from 1213 on the foundations of cathedral destroyed by the Saracens in 1123. Most of the work was done in the 13th century.<br /> <br /> This cathedral is world wide known for Master Radovan´s portal. The portal was carved by the local architect and sculptor Master Radovan (and his workshop). It was completed and signed by Radovan in 1240.<br /> <br /> In the late 13th century, the outer archivolt was added to the portal.<br /> This archivolt was not carved by Radovan, but by craftsmen of the still existing studio. The scenes have a slightly different style. <br /> <br /> This little oculus is probably as well a little younger. <br /> <br /> Two evil dragons from hell form a heart - and devour a poor soul.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/41058200 tag:ipernity.com,2016-02-04,doc-41058200 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 15:55:20 +0000 2015-07-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/41058200"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/00/41058200.b7f1d276.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Silver and lead were mined in Melle since Roman times. In Merovingian and Carolingian times it was a home of a mint. In 2008 archaeologists found a silver penny under the floor of the Palatine Chapel in Aachen (Aix La Chapelle). It was minted at METVLLO what is Melle today.<br /> <br /> In medieval times Melle was a prosperous town, attracting many pilgrims following the Via Turonensis. The town (today´s pop. ~4000) still hosts three Romanesque churches, built during the 11th and 12th centuries.<br /> <br /> Saint-Hilaire de Melle was the church of a priory, a dependency of the important Benedictine abbey in Saint-Jean-d’Angély. It was built on the bank of the Beronne river. The eastern part were built in the first half of the 12th century, while the nave and the western portals may be some decades younger.<br /> <br /> Devouring lions<br /> -<br /> <br /> <br /> As I have uploaded many photos from here already, I will just add a few.</div> Melle - Saint-Hilaire <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/41058200"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/00/41058200.b7f1d276.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Silver and lead were mined in Melle since Roman times. In Merovingian and Carolingian times it was a home of a mint. In 2008 archaeologists found a silver penny under the floor of the Palatine Chapel in Aachen (Aix La Chapelle). It was minted at METVLLO what is Melle today.<br /> <br /> In medieval times Melle was a prosperous town, attracting many pilgrims following the Via Turonensis. The town (today´s pop. ~4000) still hosts three Romanesque churches, built during the 11th and 12th centuries.<br /> <br /> Saint-Hilaire de Melle was the church of a priory, a dependency of the important Benedictine abbey in Saint-Jean-d’Angély. It was built on the bank of the Beronne river. The eastern part were built in the first half of the 12th century, while the nave and the western portals may be some decades younger.<br /> <br /> Devouring lions<br /> -<br /> <br /> <br /> As I have uploaded many photos from here already, I will just add a few.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/40969352 tag:ipernity.com,2016-01-24,doc-40969352 Sun, 24 Jan 2016 20:01:56 +0000 2015-07-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/40969352"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/93/52/40969352.bf53d887.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="151" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Salles-lès-Aulnay was a little hamlet less than 2 kms west of Aulnay, but meanwhile is part of the larger town. The distance to famous Romanesque masterpiece Saint-Pierre is only about 30 minutes - walking.<br /> <br /> So, when within the 12th century the master-workshops created Saint-Pierre in Aulnay, the masters (or their apprentices) probably worked here as well. Many parallels can be found here, though the icons may not have the perfection found in Aulnay. Maybe some icons were tried here, before thay were carved for Saint-Pierre. So the churches in Salles-lès-Aulnay may have served as a "sample book".<br /> <br /> Notre-Dame is a single nave church with some interesting capitals around the semicircular apse. Here are some of them.</div> Salles-lès-Aulnay - Notre-Dame <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/40969352"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/93/52/40969352.bf53d887.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="151" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Salles-lès-Aulnay was a little hamlet less than 2 kms west of Aulnay, but meanwhile is part of the larger town. The distance to famous Romanesque masterpiece Saint-Pierre is only about 30 minutes - walking.<br /> <br /> So, when within the 12th century the master-workshops created Saint-Pierre in Aulnay, the masters (or their apprentices) probably worked here as well. Many parallels can be found here, though the icons may not have the perfection found in Aulnay. Maybe some icons were tried here, before thay were carved for Saint-Pierre. So the churches in Salles-lès-Aulnay may have served as a "sample book".<br /> <br /> Notre-Dame is a single nave church with some interesting capitals around the semicircular apse. Here are some of them.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/40558628 tag:ipernity.com,2012-11-27,doc-40558628 Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:16:39 +0000 2012-04-01T00:00:00+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/40558628"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/86/28/40558628.6ba96e1a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="140" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The small church was the chapel of the medieval castle, that today is completely lost. It was devoted to St. Laurentius over the the first centuries, but the devotion changed to St. Leonhard in the early 16th century. Since then it has served the hamlet as a parish church. A chain spans all around the nave. The chain is a symbol of St. Leonhard. As he is not only the patron saint for prisoners, but as well for horses, it may well be that the first chain was made from horseshoes, votive offerings left here after the horses were given a special St.Leonhard-blessing.<br /> <br /> The church was consecrated in 1190 by the Bishop of Regensburg, representing his collegue from Eichstaett, who was not available, being on the cruisade at that time.<br /> <br /> A frieze of 13 heads runs around the apse. What an elaborate work for such a small, rural church. The peasants around wondered about these carvings over the centuries and a legend was told, that a giant had built this church.<br /> <br /> Here are details:<br /> <br /> A lion devouring a man - a pig/boar - a seated man in an adorante-gestus with a large head, having a (beheaded?) head between his feet. <br /> <br /> G. Weber ("Romanik in Oberbayern") quotes "Oberbayerisches Archiv für vaterlaendische Geschichte" from 1866: "Lion´s head with child - Bear - Woman giving birth"</div> Tholbath - St. Leonhard <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/40558628"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/86/28/40558628.6ba96e1a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="140" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The small church was the chapel of the medieval castle, that today is completely lost. It was devoted to St. Laurentius over the the first centuries, but the devotion changed to St. Leonhard in the early 16th century. Since then it has served the hamlet as a parish church. A chain spans all around the nave. The chain is a symbol of St. Leonhard. As he is not only the patron saint for prisoners, but as well for horses, it may well be that the first chain was made from horseshoes, votive offerings left here after the horses were given a special St.Leonhard-blessing.<br /> <br /> The church was consecrated in 1190 by the Bishop of Regensburg, representing his collegue from Eichstaett, who was not available, being on the cruisade at that time.<br /> <br /> A frieze of 13 heads runs around the apse. What an elaborate work for such a small, rural church. The peasants around wondered about these carvings over the centuries and a legend was told, that a giant had built this church.<br /> <br /> Here are details:<br /> <br /> A lion devouring a man - a pig/boar - a seated man in an adorante-gestus with a large head, having a (beheaded?) head between his feet. <br /> <br /> G. Weber ("Romanik in Oberbayern") quotes "Oberbayerisches Archiv für vaterlaendische Geschichte" from 1866: "Lion´s head with child - Bear - Woman giving birth"</div> Martin M. Miles