This church has one of the liveliest facades I’ve ever seen. Look up and you’ll see three rows of animated gargoyles frolicking and leering down at you. Église Notre Dame was built between 1220-1240 and restored in the late 1800’s. The interior has a collection of 13th century stained glass windows supplemented with a number […]
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Cathédrale St-Bénigne: l’intérior
Ah, France. Another day, another cathedral. The Cathédrale St-Bénigne we see today is the latest iteration of a series of reconstructions that have occurred over the past 1,500 years. The first structure on this site was a basilica built in 535 AD, situated above the tomb of St Benignus, who is believed to have brought […]
Cathédrale St-Bénigne: le toit
While in Dijon, don’t forget to look up! Cathédrale St-Bénigne’s multicolored roof tiles add a lively touch to the skyline.
Saint Maximin Church
Saint Maximin is Thionville’s first parish. It dates back to 930, when it belonged to Maximin Abbey in Trier, Germany. This structure dates from the 12th century, but of course its existence has not been without drama! For example, it was significantly rebuilt in the 15th century following fire damage. Then, in the 18th century, […]
Cathédrale des Sts-Michel & Gudule
When we saw this Roman Catholic church, I had to look twice to make sure we weren’t in Paris, for Cathédrale des Sts-Michel & Gudule is a smaller, slightly modified version of Notre Dame de Paris. When this grand church was founded in 1047, the relics of martyr Saint Gudula (previously housed in a different, […]
Église Notre-Dame des Riches Claires
This is not a particularly notable church, but when we walked by and popped inside, I was struck by the beauty. This church was constructed in the 17th century in the Flemish Renaissance style.
Église St-Nicolas
This Romanesque church dates back 1,000 years to the origins of Brussels, though little remains of the original chapel. Its 11th-century lines are concealed by a 14th-century Gothic facade and the repairs made after the French bombardment of 1695, from which a cannonball is still lodged in one of the pillars.
Église Notre-Dame du Finistère
This church has a simple exterior and a beautiful baroque interior. Although the original church was built in the 15th century, what we see today was built in 1708. A big draw is the gigantic statue, Our Lady of Finistère, which was transported from Cap Finistère in Spain. The 18th century pulpit depicts the Tree […]
St. Maria im Kapitol
This is the largest of the Romanesque churches in Cologne, and an easy one to miss since it’s right across from the Chocolate Museum! St. Maria im Kapitol was constructed in the 11th century and is the second church to stand on this site, over the foundations of a 50 A.D. Roman temple. The first […]
Groß St. Martin
This Romanesque church’s history can be summed as follows: fire, fire, fire, storm, war. It all began back in 960 A.D. when the foundation was laid over remnants of a Roman chapel. Scottish and Irish Benedictines were the main occupants until the 11th century, when local monks began moving in. In 1150, a fire swept […]
