Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Saint Lawrence

Parts of the preserved city wall of Llanes date back to 1206, the year in which the city was granted city rights by King Alfonso IX. Llanes is a traditional fishing port, with an active harbour. Meanwhile Llanes economy is boosted by tourists as there are a lot of large and small beaches nearby. During the Civil War, there was an airfield south-east of Llanes from where the German Condor Legion flew attacks. The aeroplanes that bombed Guernica took off from here. The construction of Santa Maria del Conceyu started in 1240 and continuing until the 14th - 15th century, so there are Romanesque and Gothic elements. The church is structured in a basilica plan with three naves and three apses and covered with a ribbed and star-shaped vault. The Romanesque portal Detail

A Celtic castle existed here, from which resistance against the Romans originated. The city was nevertheless taken. Afterward, it began to be built as a Roman city and became an important Roman military base. In the second half of the 5th century, Segovia became part of the Visigoth Empire. From the 8th to the 11th centuries, Segovia was under Moorish possession. In 1085 Alfonso VI conquered the city. From the 13th to the 15th century it was a royal residence. San Lorenzo has undergone various alterations throughout its history. The erection of the one nave church in the Romanesque-Mudejar style started in the 12th century and like most Romanesque churches in Segovia, San Lorenzo has an interesting portico. The capitals are a little weathered. Not surprisingly, the medieval artists focused here on the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence.

A Celtic castle existed here, from which resistance against the Romans originated. The city was nevertheless taken. Afterward, it began to be built as a Roman city and became an important Roman military base. In the second half of the 5th century, Segovia became part of the Visigoth Empire. From the 8th to the 11th centuries, Segovia was under Moorish possession. In 1085 Alfonso VI conquered the city. From the 13th to the 15th century it was a royal residence. San Lorenzo has undergone various alterations throughout its history. The erection of the one nave church in the Romanesque-Mudejar style started in the 12th century and like most Romanesque churches in Segovia, San Lorenzo has an interesting portico. The capitals are a little weathered. Not surprisingly, the medieval artists focused here on the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence.

Kottingwörth developed from a settlement on an island ("Werder") in the Altmühl river. The first wooden church may date back to the time of Christianisation. The first stone church was built in the 12th century. It got consecrated between 1183 and 1195. The towers were built between 1250 and 1310. In the first half of the 16th century, the towers were raised. In the years 1760/61, the medieval church building was replaced by a baroque new building. The oldest part of the church is the basement of the west tower, dated to the 13th century. Around 1310 the choir of the church (now the Vitus chapel) was adorned with frescoes. During the renovation work in the chapel in 1891 these murals were rediscovered under a coat of paint. The paintings are still well preserved. The right of the two saints, who holds a gridiron, is Saint Lawrence. Who is the left one, holding a loaf of bread? Honoratus of Amiens? Below them are Cain and Abel. God accepts only Abel´s offering but not his brother`s.

Betberg is a little hamlet, belonging to Buggingen. The name "Betberg" sounds like a "program", "bet" means "pray" and "berg" means "mountain". Betberg had of the earliest churches in the area. The church was first mentioned in 789, but brick foundations, found during a renovation in the 1970s date from around 700. The current church was probably built between 1100 and 1145. The tower was erected around the year 1200. Of course the church underwent numerous alterations, enlargements and renovations over the centuries. Saint Lawrence is still very popular in Southern Germany.

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 phantastique portal to the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir. A masterpiece. Carved by Master Radovan in 1240. Like his collegue Gislebertus (in Autun) Radovan signed the portal with his name.

Saint Lawrence (aka "Lawrence of Rome"), who was martyred in Rome in a gridiron, was one of the most popular saints within medieval times. He was born around 225 in Osca, a place that later changed the name to Huesca. Saint Lawrence is celebrated on 10 August, when his relics are on display in Rome, while in Huesca - the "Fiesta San Lorenzo" begins. We missed it for a couple of days. The colours during the fiesta are green and white. Only very few green and white fiesta scarves were left in the dusty shop window. Here the fiesta´s (green and white) website www.fiestassanlorenzo.es/#1

Saint Lawrence (aka "Lawrence of Rome"), who was martyred in Rome in a gridiron, was one of the most popular saints within medieval times. He was born around 225 in Osca, a place that later changed the name to Huesca. Saint Lawrence is celebrated on 10 August, when his relics are on display in Rome, while in Huesca - the "Fiesta San Lorenzo" begins. We missed it for a couple of days. Here is a website, where you can see, what happened in Huesca: www.fiestassanlorenzo.es/#1 There is even a countdown for the next fiesta.

Sos del Rey Católico is a quaint, historic town with a population of just over 600. Founded as "Sos" by Sancho I of Pamplona during the Reconquista in the early 10th century, the town changed its name to Sos del Rey Católico, after Ferdinand II of Aragon (aka "el Católico") was born here in 1452. The town is built on a mountaintop. You enter it by foot through the medieval gates, as the old walls, that surround the town still exist. The building of the "Iglesia de San Esteban" (= Saint Steven) started already mid of the 11th century, financed by Estefania de Foix, young widow of Garcia Sanchez III of Pamplona. The church got enlarged and altered over the next centuries many times. A narthex with gothic vaults was added within the 16th century to protect this Romanesque portal from the 12th century against the weather. Just like in nearby Sangüesa (13kms northwest) statues flank the doors. There are three large ones on either side, and various small ones inbetween. This is the left side of the portal. The statues clearly lack the elegance of that ones in Sangüesa. These may be older. The style is similar. Unfortunately most of the small sculptured inbetween are severely damaged. The large figure to the left holds a kind of shrine or a gridiron. In case the object is a gridiron, this can only be Saint Lawrence, whose birthplace may be in Huesca. In the center is a bishop (crozier) - and the right one holds an illuminated book or manuscript. I will upload a close up.