Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Merlevenez

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few. Here is one of the many capitals. To the right an evail "man-eater", to the right martyr Saint Lawrence, placed on a gridiron, with coals beneath it. He is the patron saint for chefs and cooks, as legend tells, that after a while he told the torturer "I'm well done now. Turn me over."

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. The person on the gridiron can only be the martyr Lawrence of Rome, who actually was born in Huesca (Aragon). The legend tells, that Saint Lawrence was placed on a gridiron, with coals beneath it. After a while, he told the torturers "I'm well done now. Turn me over" wonder that he is the patron saint for chefs and cooks.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. Often Catherine of Alexandria holds a wheel, sometimes she is even named "Saint Catherine of the Wheel". Catherine was sentenced to death on the breaking wheel, but, at her touch, this wheel was miraculously destroyed. As the wheel here is intact, the person seen cannot be Saint Catherine. Maybe this is apostle Simon the Zealot, as there is a saw as well. As Simon was martyred by being sawn in half, a saw can often be seen as his identifying attribute.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. A centaur is hunting a dodo. One arrow is already in the dodo´s beak, but the creature is not a dodo, but a chimera, as it has - not to be seen from this pov - the tail of a snake.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. I am not sure, what is going on in the center of the capital, but the person to the left (with jug ears) sits in the same way like the guardian outside (previous uploads).

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The large tracery window, seen in the background is an addition of the 15th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The southern, Romanesque portal is probably 12th century. So since more than 800 years, the entrance is guarded by two little guys. This one is sitting very relaxed and sunbathing. Just like his colleague on the right (see previous upload) he balances one of the archivolts on his head.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The southern, Romanesque portal is probably 12th century. So since more than 800 years, this little guy guards the entrance. Not an easy job, as he as well balances one of the archivolts on his head.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The southern, Romanesque portal is probably 12th century. The Gothic tracery window is younger than that.

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2.