Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: porch

Adelby, once an old parish just east of Flensburg, is meanwhile a part of the city of Flensburg. This makes the Johanniskirche in Adelsby to Flensburg´s oldest church. The first church here was built around 1080. About a century later a Romanesque fieldstone church got erected. In the 15th or 16th century, the porch was added in front of the main entrance. The porch served for dropping off weapons brought along and gave women in childbirth the opportunity to attend the mess, because they were forbidden by tradition to enter the church proper during the first six weeks after giving birth. In the 18th century, an extensive reconstruction took place. In 1726, the wooden tower was replaced by the present Baroque tower. Then the nave was raised with bricks and extended to the east as well as to the west up to the church tower. By 1780, the present hall church with a wide box choir was thus created.

"Saint Germain" is in the center of the large "enclos paroissial". The enclosure comprises of the parish church, the calvary and a funeral chapel/ ossuary. The construction of "Saint Germain" began in 1530. It was consecrated in 1583. Over the centuries, the church has undergone several restorations and reconstructions. The way to the portal is flanked by the 12 apostles. Here are the heads of the six statues of the right side.

"Saint Germain" is in the center of the large "enclos paroissial". The enclosure comprises of the parish church, the calvary and a funeral chapel/ ossuary. The construction of "Saint Germain" began in 1530. It was consecrated in 1583. Over the centuries, the church has undergone several restorations and reconstructions. The way to the portal is flanked by the 12 apostles. Here are the six statues of the left side.

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. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. 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. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". 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. Bergamo´s two centres are the Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Next to the Duomo di Bergamo, opening to the Piazza Duomo, is the "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore". The church was founded in 1137 on the site of aan older church and the altar was consecrated in 1185, but during the 13th and 15th century the works slowed down and the Romanesque church never got completed. Santa Maria Maggiore´s porch was created by Giovanni da Campione in 1353. He was a member of the "Maestri Campionesi" (aka "Scuola Campionese") all originating from Campione, a small Italian exclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino. Seen here is another small detail of the porch. A shepherd - and a hunter.

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. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. 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. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". 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. Bergamo´s two centres are the Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Next to the Duomo di Bergamo, opening to the Piazza Duomo, is the "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore". The church was founded in 1137 on the site of aan older church and the altar was consecrated in 1185, but during the 13th and 15th century the works slowed down and the Romanesque church never got completed. Many chapels were added later. Santa Maria Maggiore´s porch was created by Giovanni da Campione in 1353. He was a member of the "Maestri Campionesi" (aka "Scuola Campionese") all originating from Campione, a small Italian exclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino. Seen here is a detail of the porch. Note the hunt all over the archivolt.

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. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. 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. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". 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. Bergamo´s two centres are the Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Next to the Duomo di Bergamo, opening to the Piazza Duomo, is the "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore". The church was founded in 1137 on the site of aan older church and the altar was consecrated in 1185, but during the 13th and 15th century the works slowed down and the Romanesque church never got completed. Many chapels were added later. Here is Santa Maria Maggiore´s porch, created by Giovanni da Campione in 1353, who as well built the nearby baptistery. He was a member of the "Maestri Campionesi" (aka "Scuola Campionese") all originating from Campione, a small Italian exclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino.

Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches of Rome. Legends have it that Pope Callixtus I (217-222) had the church built and that it got remodelled later a couple of times. Pope Innocent II (1130-1143) had it rebuilt on its old foundations. Since then It has the present form with three naves, lintelled columns, apse and transept, created largely by materials gleaned from the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. The walls of the nartzhex are tiled with spolia. Here are some of spolia. The birds drinking from a chalice, but the barrel and the ship are clearly ancient graffiti.

Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches of Rome. Legends have it that Pope Callixtus I (217-222) had the church built and that it got remodelled later a couple of times. Pope Innocent II (1130-1143) had it rebuilt on its old foundations. Since then It has the present form with three naves, lintelled columns, apse and transept, created largely by materials gleaned from the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. The walls of the narthex are tiled with spolia.

The "Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia" is probably the most important and renowned Romanesque church in the island of Sardinia. The construction was commissioned by the "giudice" of Torres, a powerful judge. The church was completed and got consecrated in 1116. It was built, over the ruins of a pre-existing monastery, on the floorplan of a "Tau Cross" just like the neighbouring "San Michele di Salvenero". The porch is some decades younger (1180/1200). An abbey was founded by Camaldolese monks. The order had been founded about 100 years earlier by Saint Romuald in Camaldoli (Tuscany). Legends tell, that the name "Saccargia" is connected to "sa acca argia" - "speckled cow", as a cow was found here praying on its knees. Here are the cows. The church was abandoned in the 16th century, the monastery fell in ruins, so this was a perfect place to carve in a graffito. Nobody chose the surface of the black volcanic basalt, the vandals carved names and dates into the white limestones of the porch.

The "Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia" is probably the most important and renowned Romanesque church in the island of Sardinia. The construction was commissioned by the "giudice" of Torres, a powerful judge. The church was completed and got consecrated in 1116. It was built, over the ruins of a pre-existing monastery, on the floorplan of a "Tau Cross" just like the neighbouring "San Michele di Salvenero". The porch is some decades younger (1180/1200). It has some great capitals, that may have been carved by masters from Pisa or Lucca. Legends tell, that the name "Saccargia" is connected to "sa acca argia" - "speckled cow", as a cow was found here praying on its knees. Here are the cows. An abbey was founded by Camaldolese monks. The order had been founded about 100 years earlier by Saint Romuald in Camaldoli (Tuscany). The church was abandoned in the 16th century, the monastery fell in ruins and only some walls and foundations can be seen. The church was restored and reopened in the 20th century.

The "Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia" is probably the most important and renowned Romanesque church in the island of Sardinia. The construction was commissioned by the "giudice" of Torres, a powerful judge. The church was completed and got consecrated in 1116. It was built, over the ruins of a pre-existing monastery, on the floorplan of a "Tau Cross" just like the neighbouring "San Michele di Salvenero". The porch is some decades younger (1180/1200). It has some great capitals, that may have been carved by masters from Pisa or Lucca. Here are strange winged creatures with giant ears and dangerous teeth. An abbey was founded by Camaldolese monks. The order had been founded about 100 years earlier by Saint Romuald in Camaldoli (Tuscany). Legends tell, that the name "Saccargia" is connected to "sa acca argia" - "speckled cow", as a cow was found here praying on its knees. The church was abandoned in the 16th century, the monastery fell in ruins and only some walls and foundations can be seen. The church was restored and reopened in the 20th century.

The "Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia" is probably the most important and renowned Romanesque church in the island of Sardinia. The construction was commissioned by the "giudice" of Torres, a powerful judge. The church was completed and got consecrated in 1116. It was built, over the ruins of a pre-existing monastery, on the floorplan of a "Tau Cross" just like the neighbouring "San Michele di Salvenero". The porch is some decades younger (1180/1200). It has some great capitals, that may have been carved by masters from Pisa or Lucca. An abbey was founded by Camaldolese monks. The order had been founded about 100 years earlier by Saint Romuald in Camaldoli (Tuscany). Legends tell, that the name "Saccargia" is connected to "sa acca argia" - "speckled cow", as a cow was found here praying on its knees. The church was abandoned in the 16th century, the monastery fell in ruins and only some walls and foundations can be seen. The church was restored and reopened in the 20th century.

The "Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia" is probably the most important and renowned Romanesque church in the island of Sardinia. The construction was commissioned by the "giudice" of Torres, a powerful judge. The church was completed and got consecrated in 1116. It was built, over the ruins of a pre-existing monastery, on the floorplan of a "Tau Cross" just like the neighbouring "San Michele di Salvenero". The bell tower (41 m) and the porch are some decades younger (1180/1200). An abbey was founded by Camaldolese monks. The order had been founded about 100 years earlier by Saint Romuald in Camaldoli (Tuscany). Legends tell, that the name "Saccargia" is connected to "sa acca argia" - "speckled cow", as a cow was found here praying on its knees. The church was abandoned in the 16th century, the monastery fell in ruins and only some walls and foundations can be seen. The church was restored and reopened in the 20th century.

Early morning just outside the village of Cargeghe. The small single nave church "Santa Maria di Contra", surrounded by olive groves and orchards, dates back to the 12th century, but later got a large porch.

The 12th century church in Moussey (pop. 600) has an impressive narthex. Obviously this porch was used as a place to meet for the residents over centuries. A nice - and dry place, where people could leave names and dates. All the walls of the porch are covered with carved graffiti. They could even play "Nine Men's Morris" (aka "Mill Game") here.

The 12th century church in Moussey (pop. 600) has an impressive narthex. Obviously this porch was used as a place to meet for the residents over centuries. A nice - and dry place, where people could leave their intitials, dates and even little drawings. All the walls of the porch are covered with carved graffiti.

The 12th century church in Moussey (pop. 600) has an impressive narthex. Obviously this porch was used as a place to meet for the residents over centuries. A nice - and dry place. Nothing had changed since 2004, when I had been here with my very first digital camera.

Saint-George belonged to the cathedral chapter of nearby Soissons, when it was erected from the end of the 11th century on. The church got restored and rebuilt in the 19th century. At the time the windows got enlarged and the large porch, seen here, was added to the structure.