Uploads from Martin M. Miles, tagged tolosana, with geodata

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:07:59 -0700

The "Abbey of Gellone" in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded 806 by Saint William of Gellone, known in France as Guillaume d'Aquitaine or Guillaume au Court Nez (William Short Nose).

William, born 754 in Autun was a grandson of Charles Martel, and so a cousin of Charlemagne, who made him his paladin. As a commander William took part in numerous wars and battles against the Maurs in Spain and Southern France and from 790 on, he was "Count of Toulouse" and "Duke of Aquitaine". 804, he withdrew from "public life" and joined the monastry, Bernard of Aniane had founded in Aniane. Two years later, he left Aniane and founded with Bernard´s support the Abbey of Gellone in what is the village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert today.

Charlemagne presented his cousin a piece of the True Cross for the Abbey of Gellone. William died in 812. His tomb and the piece of the True Cross, shown in the abbey, made this place to a major stop for the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella.

Saint-Jean-de-Fos - Gorge de Hérault

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:45:02 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The Hérault river forms a narrow gorge. Very romantic. The trail runs next to the road to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. This photo is taken from the bridge over the river on an early evening. From here to St. Guilhem is just about an hour walk.

St. Gilles-du-Gard - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:29:20 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The monastery St. Gilles, founded within the 7th century. A hermit had lived here - with a hind. After Visigothic King Wamba had injured the hind during a hunt, he founded a monastry - and made St. Gilles the first abbot there. St. Gilles was one of the most popular saints in
medieval times. Pilgrims flocked to his tomb in the crypt - and continued to Santiago from here. St. Gilles today is still one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

During the Wars of Religion the abbey and the church were totally destroyed and burnt down, what was in 1562. 1622 the campanile got demolished. After that only the crypt, part of the clocher, some eastern walls of the choir existed. The portal got demolished after the french revolution.

So from the revolution on, there were only a couple of ruins left- and that very large crypt, that was used for storage over decades. It was open, so people came in and had all the time necessery, to carve in their names or initials. The walls of the crypt are covered with these graffitis.

Around "1800 AnNEE" in the cventer are a couple of different initials.

St. Gilles-du-Gard - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:22:51 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The monastery St. Gilles, founded within the 7th century. A hermit had lived here - with a hind. After Visigothic King Wamba had injured the hind during a hunt, he founded a monastry - and made St. Gilles the first abbot there. St. Gilles was one of the most popular saints in
medieval times. Pilgrims flocked to his tomb in the crypt - and continued to Santiago from here. St. Gilles today is still one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

During the Wars of Religion the abbey and the church were totally destroyed and burnt down, what was in 1562. 1622 the campanile got demolished. After that only the crypt, part of the clocher, some eastern walls of the choir existed. The portal got demolished after the french revolution.

So from the revolution on, there were only a couple of ruins left- and that very large crypt, that was used for storage over decades. It was open, so people came in and had all the time necessery, to carve in their names or initials. The walls of the crypt are covered with these graffitis.

"Dane" carved in nicely like a signature.

I could find out in the nearby museum "Maison romane" that a family with this name lived in St. Gilles during the 19th century.

St. Gilles-du-Gard - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:56:08 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The monastery St. Gilles, founded within the 7th century. A hermit lived here - with a hind. After Visigothic King Wamba had injured this hind during a hunt, he founded a monastry. St. Gilles was the first abbot there. St. Gilles was one of the most popular saints in medieval times,
pilgrims flocked to his tomb in the crypt - and continued to Santiago from here. St. Gilles today is still one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

During the Wars of Religion the abbey and the church were totally destroyed and burnt down, what was in 1562. 1622 the campanile got demolished. After that only the crypt, part of the clocher, some eastern walls of the choir existed.

The portal, which reminds on roman Triumph-arches, got demolished after the french revolution, - but puzzled together again within the 19th century, with material found all around. The precise knowledge about many details was lost, so in some parts it still is an unfinshed puzzle.
For sure some parts are still missing - and this is visible. Probably different masters have worked here, as there are different styles in carving on this portal.

Here some pretty exotic animals.

A skinny dromedary to the right and two monkeys in chains on the left. The carver had a very creative idea: one leg of the monkey in the middle reaches over the frame.

Behind them (this is a "3D-puzzle") a bust sculpture of a saint. Maybe this is only the top part of a "full" figure - and the second part is lost. It is placed so far in the background, that I do not believe, that this is the original place. Though there are letters on the nimbus, I could not find out the name of the saint.

St. Gilles-du-Gard - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:17:27 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The monastery St. Gilles, founded within the 7th century. A hermit lived here - with a hind. After Visigothic King Wamba had injured this hind during a hunt, he founded a monastry. St. Gilles was the first abbot there. St. Gilles was one of the most popular saints in medieval times, pilgrims flocked to his tomb in the crypt - and continued to Santiago from here. St. Gilles today is still one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

During the Wars of Religion the abbey and the church were totally destroyed and burnt down, what was in 1562. 1622 the campanile got demolished. After that only the crypt, part of the clocher, some eastern walls of the choir existed.

The portal, which reminds on roman Triumph-arches, got demolished after the french revolution, - but puzzled together again within the 19th century, with material found all around. The precise knowledge about many details was lost, so in some parts it still is an unfinshed puzzle. For sure some parts are still missing - and tghis is visible. Probably different masters have worked here, as there are different styles in carving on this portal.

Here a common scene, a lion devouring a man.

The carving is pretty damaged, but still to see is the vitality and dynamic of the scene. The lion seems to be in a move, turns his head, grimly facing the viewer. The claws cut deeply through the skin. The head of the man, grabbed by the right paw of the lion, has obviously no connection to the body any longer. The victim is "beheaded", the head is turned, the wide opened eyes stare at the viewer. If you compare this scene to a thematically identical one in Arles, only 16kms to the east, you´ll see the difference.

Here is Holly´s photo from the portal of St. Trophime, Arles:

www.flickr.com/photos/sacred_destinations/4444363379/

St. Gilles-du-Gard - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:10:17 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The monastery St. Gilles, founded within the 7th century. A hermit lived here - with a hind. After Visigothic King Wamba had injured this hind during a hunt (other legends tell, he injured St. Gilles himself) Wamba founded a monastry - and St. Gilles was the first abbot there. St. Gilles was one of the most popular saints in the middle ages, pilgrims flocked to his tomb in the crypt of this church - and continued to Santiago from here. St. Gilles today is still one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

During the Wars of Religion the abbey and the church were totally destroyed and burnt down, what was in 1562. 1622 the campanile got demolished. After that only the crypt, part of the clocher, some eastern walls of the choir existed.

The portal, which reminds on roman Triumph-arches, got demolished after the french revolution, - but puzzled together again within the 19th century, with material found all around in the area. The precise knowledge about many details was lost, so in some parts it still is an unfinished 3D-puzzle. For sure some parts are still missing - and this is visible. There are different styles in carving, one of the medieval masters carved wonderful faces.

St. Gilles-du-Gard - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:09:28 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The monastery St. Gilles, founded within the 7th century. A hermit lived here - with a hind. After Visigothic King Wamba had injured this hind during a hunt (other legends tell, he injured St. Gilles himself) Wamba founded a monastry - and St. Gilles was the first abbot. St. Gilles was one of the most popular saints in the middle ages, pilgrims flocked to his tomb in the crypt - and continued to Santiago from here. St. Gilles today is still one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

During the Wars of Religion the abbey and the church were totally destroyed and burnt down, what was in 1562. 1622 the campanile got demolished. After that only the crypt, part of the clocher, some eastern walls of the choir existed.

The portal, which reminds on roman Triumph-arches, got demolished after the french revolution, - but puzzled together again within the 19th century, with material found all around in the area. The precise knowledge about many details was lost, so in some parts it still is an unfinished 3D-puzzle. For sure some parts are still missing - and this is visible. There are different styles in carving, one of the medieval masters carved wonderful faces.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Place de la Liberté

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:36:23 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

Sitting with the back to the abbey, facing the central "Place de la Liberté" on an early summer evening. The place got is name after the French Revolution - and it may well be, that during the festivities in the 1790s a "Liberty-Tree" was planted in the midle, an "Arbre de la liberté". This tree has grown in the last 200 years and now dominates the nice place.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Ruin

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:22:31 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The facade of a ruin in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Over decades after the Revolution the monastry was used like a quarry, as all the stones there were "free" building material. The arches seen here could well have been part of the abbey-structure before. Not all ended up in New York.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Mairie

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:09:43 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The old "mairie" of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is built over the the little river "Le Verdus".

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:51:30 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The carved head of a monkey - or maybe an ape. The carving are is different in style and material from the surrounding capitals. I could not find out, how much "restaurantion" was done here in the late 19th century. This carving seems to be much older. It may - like some others - originate from an older structure - and reused here.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:40:18 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

Another carved face. The carving is very different in style from the surrounding capitals, here two different stones were used, a redish one for the lower part of the face. Or is this a repair? I could not find out, how much "restaurantion" was done here in the late 19th century. The face seems to be much older. It may - like some others - originate from an older structure - and reused here.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:47:17 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The carved head of a somehow phantastic animal, having kind of bird in his mouth. The carving is different in style and material from the surrounding capitals. I could not find out, how much "restaurantion" was done here in the late 19th century. This carving seems to be much older. It may - like some others - originate from an older structure - and reused here.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:32:29 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

Around the apse of the nave and the apse of the right chapel run arches with pillars - and nearly every pillar has a capital - and a carving, at the foot of the arch.

Here a carved face - and below a capital. The material used seems to be quite different, not only in colour. The carvings are very different in style as well. I could not find out, how much "restaurantion" was done here in the late 19th century. The face seems much older than the symetric capital. It may - like some others - originate from an older structure - and reused here.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:44:11 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The three apses of the former abbey church seen from outside (Yes, sorry, I stepped on private ground) on an early morning. - The nave ends into a great apse. See the cross and the two round windows (= wind-holes) under the roof (and compare with the photo of the nave taken interior). The two chapels of the transept end in smaller apses. Like normal, but here they differ. Around the main and the right apse run arches with pillars - and nearly every pillar has a capital - and a carving ontop of the pillar.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:21:09 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

Standing in the nave of the church of the (former) "Abbaye de Gellone" (parish church
since the French Revolution) and looking up: a sober but beautiful barrel vaults.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:59:20 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

A detail from cloister - note the "missing" capital.

At the end of the medieval times, the community was not in a really good shape. In 1569, during the wars of religion, protestant troops pillaged the abbey, that later was the property of the "Congregation
of St. Maur". 1789, during the French Revolution, only six monks lived here. They had to go, as the buildings were sold as national property. The church became parish church at that time. Small enterprises moved in, most of the buildings were used as a quarry. Half of the cloister "vanished",
only two sides are still there. A citizen of Aniane bought the carved capitals of the cloister for his garden. When he died, his son sold them to an art-dealer in Paris. In the end, most of these carvings were sold to New York, where John D. Rockefeller II., bought them in 1905 for some 60.000$, forming with them (and others) "The Cloisters", now a branch the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So if you want to see the original medieval capitals from this cloister - fly to New York.

Here are the details:

www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/department.asp?dep=7

Meanwhile a small collection of artwork found later in and around the abbey, including the tomb of St. Guilhelm, are in a little "lapidarium" next to this cloister.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:35:47 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

The cloister of the abbey - or maybe better, what is left of it.

At the end of the medieval times, the community was not in a really good shape. In 1569, during the wars of religion, protestant troops pillaged the abbey, that later was the property of the "Congregation of St. Maur". 1789, during the French Revolution, only six monks lived here. They had to leave, as the buildings were sold as national property. The church became parish church at that time. Small enterprises moved in, most of the buildings were used as a quarry. Half of the cloister "vanished", only two sides are still there. A citizen of Aniane bought the carved capitals of the cloister for his garden. When he died, his son sold them to an art-dealer in Paris. In the end, most of these carvings were sold to New York, where John D. Rockefeller II., bought them in 1905 for some 60.000$, forming with them (and others) "The Cloisters", now a branch the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So if you want to see the original medieval capitals from this cloister - fly to New York.

Here are the details:

www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/department.asp?dep=7

Meanwhile a small collection of artwork found later in and around the abbey, including the tomb of St. Guilhelm, are in a little "lapidarium" next to this cloister.

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert - Abbey

nobody@flickr.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:47:40 -0700

Martin M. Miles posted a photo:

A sunbeam crossing the nave of the abbey-church in the arly monring. A pure and sober structure. A
barrel-vaulted central nave, two aisles, a transept, a main and two side apses. Below the choir is a crypt from the 12th century, that for centuries was filled and forgotten.