0 favorites     0 comments    244 visits

Location

Lat, Lng:  
Lat, Lng:  
You can copy the above to your favourite mapping app.
Address:  unknown

 View on map

See also...

Medieval Europe Medieval Europe



Keywords

79
France
Melle
Deux-Sèvres
floater
Poitou-Charentes
corbel
Via Turonensis
Saint-Hilaire de Melle


Authorizations, license

Visible by: Everyone
All rights reserved

244 visits


Melle - Saint-Hilaire

Melle - Saint-Hilaire
Melle was known already during Roman times, when silver and lead were mined here. The silver mines were exploited over hundreds of years, got forgotten and "rediscovered" in the 19th century. Today they are a tourist attraction. Melle was wealthy and the pilgrims, walking the Via Turonensis, passed through Melle on their way to Santiago, what brought even more money into town.

Churches were erected during the heydays of the pilgrimage- and three (!) Romanesque churches can still be found here.

Saint-Hilaire de Melle was the church of a priory, a dependency of the important Benedictian 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.

There are more than 200 carved capitals alone in- and outside this church. they are done by different carvers or studios in a large variety of qualities.

Here are corbels from the higher area of the western facade. Inbetween a "floating" woman. The carving is a bit weathered, but the long, combed hair can still be seen.

Comments

Sign-in to write a comment.