Carved graffiti

Fontevraud Abbey, founded in 1101 by itinerant reforming preacher Robert d'Arbrissel followed his concept of the "ideal city". It was a "double monastery", that was always led by a woman. From the very beginning the convent had a strong support from the aristocracy, above all from the House of Plantagenet. The list of the abbesses is like a "who is who" of the medieval nobility. Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful ladies of medieval times, joined the convent, when she retired from the political power game in 1200. She died here in 1204. This church was the chosen burial place for the House of Plantagenet. The convent was successful and existed upto the French Revolution. In 1804 Napoleon signed a decree, transforming the abbey (once a model of the "ideal city") into a prison. Holding upto 2000 prisoners, the prison was known to be of the "toughest in France". The prisoners had to work here. Textiles were manufactured in large scale, looms stood probably everywhere. Mechanisation started early, a first steam engine worked here already in 1839. Many thousands of desperate men, women and children were imprisoned here. Prisoners lived (and died) here over more than 150 years. All walls of the abbey are covered with carved names and dates. Signs of life! Officially the abbey was a prison upto 1963, but the last prisoner left Fontevraud in 1983. By the way - the Abbey of Clairvaux had the same fate - and still is a prison.

Not much is known about the history of Saint-Denis. The first documents mentioning it, are only a few centuries old. It was probably erected within the 12th century, but modified and enlarged during the next centuries. Mid of the 19th century the structure was ruined and ready for demolition. In 1862, the nave was separated from transepts and choir. It got renovated and the local school opened here. Soon after, the mairie moved, later apartments for the teachers were built on the new second floor. A ruined church is a sure place for people leaving notes and names.

Saint Leger´s crossing tower, the facade and the nave date back to the 13th century. At that time Agnetz was an important village in the area. Over the next three centuries the structure got altered, it got finally completed, when the Gothic choir was added in 1540. The outer walls of the church are covered with ancient graffiti.

"Notre-Dame de Reims" replaced an older church, burnt down in 1211. That church had been built on the site of the basilica where Clovis was baptized by Saint Remi, bishop of Reims, in 496. The erection of the the large Gotihc cathedral, the place,where the kings of France were crowned, started before 1220. In 1233 a dispute between the cathedral´s chapter and the population regarding taxation and jurisdication ended in a revolt. After several clerics were killed during the uproar, the chapter fled the town and work on the new cathedral was suspended for three years. By 1241 the choir was already used, the nave got roofed in 1299. Work on the western facade was slow. It was completed within the 14th century, a hundred years after the work started. During the Hundred Years' War the English held Reims after a long siege, but it got reconquered by Jeanne d'Arc´s army in 1429, so that Charles VII of France (aka "le Bien-Servi") was crowned here on 17 July 1429. In the first weeks of WWI German shellfire burned, damaged and destroyed important parts of the cathedral. Restoration work began in 1919 - and is been steadily going on since. "Notre-Dame de Reims" has had bad times in history. Wars, uproars, revolutions took place and left marks. I have always been fascinated by old grafitti, that could only be done, when the church was open and "unattendend". There are many graffiti inside the cathedral. The large bases of the large pillars are covered with names and dates. ---- As I have uploaded many photos taken here during previous visits, I will now add only a few.

The Abbey of Saint-Remi was founded already in the sixth century. Since 1099 the relics of Saint Remi are kept here. Remi was the bishop of Reims who baptised Clovis, King of the Franks, in 496. The abbey developed well and got very important. Charlemagne received Pope Leo III here. It was one of the richest convents in what is France today during the 9th century. From 780 to 945 the archbishops of Reims served as its abbots. Over centuries the "Holy Ampulla", holding the held the anointing oil for the coronation of the kings of France, was kept here. During the French Revolution the glass vial was publicly destroyed. The present basilica was the abbey church. The shrine, holding the relics of Saint Remi, is placed in the center of the choir, erected 1162-1181, when Peter Cellensis (= "Pierre de Celle") was abbot here. The shrine is covered with graffiti.

The "Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine" in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume (pop. ~ 14.000) is one of the largest and most important Gothic churches in of the Provence. - As I have uploaded many fotos taken here during previous visits, I will now add only a few.. - A small merovingien church existed here, until a sarcophagus was discovered inside the church´s crypt in 1279. The inscription made clear, that this was the tomb of Mary Magdalene. Her relics had been venerated in Vezeley since the early 11th century. This had made Vezelay Abbey to a major starting point for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. According to a legend a monk named Baudillon brought the relics of Maria Magdalene from Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume to Vezelay. In 1058 Pope Stephen IX had confirmed the authenticity of the relics. It was undisputed that Maria Magdalena was one of the The "Three Marys", who had fled the Holy Land by a miraculous boat and landed at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. After having worked as a sucessful missionar, she retired to a cave in the near mountains. She was buried in a crypt in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, from where the relics had been transferred to Vezelay. The discovery of the tomb in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in 1279 was a very clever "marketing" plot, that put the pilgrim business in Vezelay to a sudden end. Charles II of Anjou, King of Naples founded the Basilique Ste. Marie-Madeleine in 1295. Pope Boniface VIII placed it under the new order of Dominicans. The basilica was built over the crypt (where the tomb was found) but the works slowed down and the basilica never got completed. --- The walls around the stairs, that lead down to the crypt, are covered with graffiti. To carve names and dates into the ceiling, blackened with soot, is easy.

The abbey was founded within the 8th century. It is dedicated to Saint Papoul, a disciple of Saint Saturnin, missionary and first bishop of Toulouse. It was believed that Saint Papoul was martyred near the place, where the abbey is now. Later a monk named Berenger (or Berengar) lived a pious life here. After he got canonized his relics attracted the first pilgrims to this place. In the aftermath of the crusade against the Cathars the papal organisation created new (smaller) dioceses to enable a stricter control. So since 1317 the abbey church of Saint Papoul was promoted to a cathedral, holding a bishopric (upto 1801). Saint Papoul is a quiet little village, that is one of my favourite places since a long time. Yes, there are the works of the "Maître de Cabestany", who is known under this name since the 1930s when a tympanum and other carvings were found in Cabestany (near Perpignan), but there is so much more. The range of different artistic styles and icons in Saint-Papoul is enormous. The abbey was looted during the Hundred Years' War and Wars of Religion and neglected over decades during the 19th century - so there are lots of graffiti. This one is younger, probably "written" into the soft plaster within the 19th century, but I can read "eglise"..

Petit Niort is meanwhile part of Mirambeau. Saint Martin is under reconstruction and was completely locked, but I found some interesting graffiti outside. Here is one of them. A long toed shoe. These shoes (often dubbed "Crakows" after Krakow, capital of Poland from 1038 to 1569) were very popular within the nobility during the 13th/14th century. Walking pilgrims did for sure not use them..

Saint-Palais, the parish church of Saint-Palais (pop. ~500), dates back to the 12th century, when it was dependent of the Premonstratensian abbey in neighbouring Pleine Selve. Two of the many little graffiti, people carved into the walls. A sailing ship to the left and a sole to the right. Such soles can be found everywhere aloung the old "caminoes". Ships are typical for the western side of France, as many people from Britain reached this area by ship and then continued on foot ("sole") or on horse or mule ("horse-shoe").

The cross in the wall in the tower could be the work of a carver. Maybe an apprentice, who just started, but the rough unfinished figure is a graffiti. See the elbows! I´m sure!

Córdoba shares its history with so many cities in Southern Spain. It was Carthaginian and Roman (from 260BC on), later it belonged to the Byzantine Empire for two decade, got looted by the Vandals, before Visigoths conquered it in 572. In 711 it was taken by the by the Umayyad army and became a provincial capital. At that time a Christian church erected by the Visigoths was on the site, it was divided and shared by Muslims and Christians. The sharing agreement lasted until 784, when the Christian half was purchased by the Emir Abd al-Rahman I, who then demolished the church and started to build the grand mosque of Córdoba on its ground. This narrative goes back to the tenth-century historian al-Razi. The work of building the Mezquita employed thousands of artisans and labourers. After the first completion it underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard. It covers an area of more than 23.000 m². The Mezquita still is one of the largest sacred buildings on earth. In the 10th century it was in the center of Cordoba, that with a population of upto 500.000, at that time it was one of the largest cities in the known world. After in 1236 Córdoba was captured from the Moors, the Christians initially left the architecture Mezquita undisturbed. The just consecrated it, dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, and used it as a place of Christian worship. Later small chapels were inserted and the the minaret was converted into a the bell tower of the cathedral. The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral in a cruciform layout right in the center of the former mosque. The brick-and-stone striped arches are supported by 856 granite and marble pillars, coming from Romans and Visigothic ruins. Many of them are dotted with small carved graffiti. They may date to the time, when the mosque was taken by the Christian troops. Of course they could as well be much older - or younger.

Córdoba shares its history with so many cities in Southern Spain. It was Carthaginian and Roman (from 260BC on), later it belonged to the Byzantine Empire for two decade, got looted by the Vandals, before Visigoths conquered it in 572. In 711 it was taken by the by the Umayyad army and became a provincial capital. At that time a Christian church erected by the Visigoths was on the site, it was divided and shared by Muslims and Christians. The sharing agreement lasted until 784, when the Christian half was purchased by the Emir Abd al-Rahman I, who then demolished the church and started to build the grand mosque of Córdoba on its ground. This narrative goes back to the tenth-century historian al-Razi. The work of building the Mezquita employed thousands of artisans and labourers. After the first completion it underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard. It covers an area of more than 23.000 m². The Mezquita still is one of the largest sacred buildings on earth. In the 10th century it was in the center of Cordoba, that with a population of upto 500.000, at that time it was one of the largest cities in the known world. After in 1236 Córdoba was captured from the Moors, the Christians initially left the architecture Mezquita undisturbed. The just consecrated it, dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, and used it as a place of Christian worship. Later small chapels were inserted and the the minaret was converted into a the bell tower of the cathedral. The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral in a cruciform layout right in the center of the former mosque. The brick-and-stone striped arches are supported by 856 granite and marble pillars, coming from Romans and Visigothic ruins. Many of them are dotted with small carved graffiti. They may date to the time, when the mosque was taken by the Christian troops. Of course they could as well be much older - or younger.

Marburg developed at the crossroads of two important medieval routes. The settlement was protected by a small castle built during the ninth or tenth century. Since 1140 Marburg has been a town, owned by the Landgraves of Thuringia, residing on the Wartburg above Eisenach. In 1228, the widowed Elizabeth of Hungary (aka Elizabeth of Thuringia), chose Marburg as her dowager seat. The countess dedicated her life to the sick and would become after her early death in 1231, aged 24, one of the most prominent female saints of the era. She was canonized already in 1235. Marburg was a provincial town in Hesse, known for the University, the oldest Protestant-founded university in the world, founded in 1527. In 1529, Philipp I of Hesse arranged the "Marburg Colloquy", to propitiate Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli. St. Elisabeth had founded a hospital here in 1228, where she cared for sick and needy people until her death. She was buried in the hospital chapel. Immediately began a pilgrim's stream and numerous miracles of healing were witnessed. In honour of St. Elizabeth the Elisabethkirche ("St. Elizabeth's Church") was built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights. The church is one of the earliest purely Gothic churches in German-speaking areas, and is held to be a model for the architecture of Cologne Cathedral. The church was consecrated in 1283. The work on the two towers continued until 1340. In 1539, Landgrave Philip had the bones of St. Elizabeth removed to set a mark against the cult of the relics, almost all of the formerly Catholic friars converted to Protestantism. Part of the originally rich figure jewelry got removed. There are many carved graffiti in and outside the church. Young H.H. left a selfie, wearing a student cap.

The island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It was colonized the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Etruscans and the Romans. After the Roman empire collapsed, Corsica got invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. For a short while the island belonged to the Byzantine Empire, then the Franks granted the island to the Pope, in the early 11th century Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion. The island came, just like neighbouring Sardinia, under the influence of the Republic of Pisa, later it belonged to Genua for centuries. In 1729 the Corsican fight for independence from Genoa began. After 26 years of struggle the independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed in 1755, but in 1769, when the island was conquered by France. As the areas near the coast have over centuries have been threatened by attacks and raids of pirates (or Saracens or..) many old hamlets and dwellings are wide inland, high in the mountains. The chapel San Giovanni Battista is a Romanesque building of the 10th century located next to the Genoese bridge called "Pont d'Altiani", spanning over the Tavignano river. The church served the parish of Rogna, but Annie Arnoux-Gabrielli, the author of "Eglises Romanes des Corse", claims that once a second building existed here, erected by monks (like the chapel), who came to the area for evangelisation. These monks provided for maintenance and security for a medieval bridge and accommodated travellers for the night. The chapel got altered many times and seems to be locked since ages. There are many inscriptions or graffiti around the building. Here are some letters, I could not read.

The island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It was colonized the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Etruscans and the Romans. After the Roman empire collapsed, Corsica got invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. For a short while the island belonged to the Byzantine Empire, then the Franks granted the island to the Pope, in the early 11th century Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion. The island came under the influence of the Republic of Pisa, later it belonged to Genua for centuries. In 1755 after a long fight for independence from Genoa the independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed, but in 1769, when the island was conquered by France. As the areas near the coast over centuries have been threatened by attacks and raids of pirates many old hamlets and dwellings are wide inland, high in the mountains. So most of the old churches are in the mountains and some of them are hard to find. The small eye catching Romanesque church San Michele is easy to find, located on an isolated hill just outside Murato. It was erected from mid-12th century on and was consecrated in 1280. At that time Corsica was ruled by Pisa and so it was built in a bicolor typical Pisan style recognizable by the alternation of green (serpentine) and white (limestone) stones, very similar to the "Basilica di Saccargia" on the neighbouring island of Sardinia. The single nave church presents remarkable naive motifs on the walls that are amazing in their imagination and variety, but the soft stone has attracted as well vandals to leave carved graffiti here.

Avignon was Greek Emporium around 539 BC. Much later it became a Roman colony, named "Colonia Julia Hadriana Avenniensis". During the migration period the Goths looted the town and in 472 Avignon was sacked by the Burgundians. In 500 Clovis I, King of the Franks besieged Avignon as his arch-enemy Gondebaud had taken refuge here. Clovis devastated the fields, cut down the vines and olive trees, and destroyed the orchards. In 734 it fell into the hands of the Saracens and was destroyed in 737 by Charles Martel´s Franks. Avignon recovered and in 916 King of Provence Louis the Blind restored the churches of Saint-Ruf and Saint-Géniès to the diocese of Avignon. At the end of the 9th century, Avignon suffered again by Muslim attacks. After the division of Charlemagne´s empire, Avignon was owned jointly by the Count of Provence and the Count of Toulouse. In 1135 the rights were resigned to the local Bishops and Consuls. At the end of the 12th century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic. When in 1226, the citizens refused to open the gates to King Louis VIII of France, the French besieged the Avignon and after it was captured forced it to pull down its ramparts . In 1271, Philip III of France inherited Avignon and passed it to his son Philip the Fair in 1285. It passed in turn in 1290 to Charles II of Naples. The University of Avignon was founded by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303 and was famed as a seat of legal studies, flourishing until the French Revolution. In 1309 the city was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence at the time of the Council of Vienne. Avignon, rather than Rome was the seat of the Papacy. It became the Pontifical residence under Pope Clement V in 1309. His successor, John XXII made it the capital of Christianity and transformed the former episcopal palace into the primary Palace of the Popes. Under the Papal rule, the Court seethed and attracted many painters, sculptors and musicians. The Gothic palace was the result of the joint work of the best French architects. The papal library in Avignon was the largest in Europe in the 14th century with 2,000 volumes. Gregory XI decided to return to Rome. His death caused the Great Schism. Clement VII and Benedict XIII reigned again in Avignon. Overall it was nine popes who succeeded in the papal palace. Avignon was a papal possession up to the French Revolution. --- The construction of the strongly fortified Palais, that is one of the largest medieval structures in Europe, began in 1252. The Palais was built in two phases with two distinct segments, known as the "Palais Vieux" and "Palais Neuf". By the time of its completion, it occupied an area of 11,000 m². The Palais Vieux was constructed by Pierre Poisson of Mirepoix at the instruction of Pope Benedict XII. Benedict had the original episcopal palace razed and replaced with a much larger building centred on a cloister, heavily fortified against attackers. Under Popes Clement VI, Innocent VI and Urban V, the building was expanded to form what is now known as the Palais Neuf. After the Popes finally returned to Rome, the Palais (and the city) remained under papal control, but the state Palais gradually deteriorated. In 1789 it was seized and sacked by revolutionary forces. Under Napoleon the Palais was used as a military barracks and prison. In a building that long unattended it is easy to carve in graffiti. Here is a face with a pretty long nose.

Avignon was Greek Emporium around 539 BC. Much later it became a Roman colony, named "Colonia Julia Hadriana Avenniensis". During the migration period the Goths looted the town and in 472 Avignon was sacked by the Burgundians. In 500 Clovis I, King of the Franks besieged Avignon as his arch-enemy Gondebaud had taken refuge here. Clovis devastated the fields, cut down the vines and olive trees, and destroyed the orchards. In 734 it fell into the hands of the Saracens and was destroyed in 737 by Charles Martel´s Franks. Avignon recovered and in 916 King of Provence Louis the Blind restored the churches of Saint-Ruf and Saint-Géniès to the diocese of Avignon. At the end of the 9th century, Avignon suffered again by Muslim attacks. After the division of Charlemagne´s empire, Avignon was owned jointly by the Count of Provence and the Count of Toulouse. In 1135 the rights were resigned to the local Bishops and Consuls. At the end of the 12th century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic. When in 1226, the citizens refused to open the gates to King Louis VIII of France, the French besieged the Avignon and after it was captured forced it to pull down its ramparts . In 1271, Philip III of France inherited Avignon and passed it to his son Philip the Fair in 1285. It passed in turn in 1290 to Charles II of Naples. The University of Avignon was founded by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303 and was famed as a seat of legal studies, flourishing until the French Revolution. In 1309 the city was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence at the time of the Council of Vienne. Avignon, rather than Rome was the seat of the Papacy. It became the Pontifical residence under Pope Clement V in 1309. His successor, John XXII made it the capital of Christianity and transformed the former episcopal palace into the primary Palace of the Popes. Under the Papal rule, the Court seethed and attracted many painters, sculptors and musicians. The Gothic palace was the result of the joint work of the best French architects. The papal library in Avignon was the largest in Europe in the 14th century with 2,000 volumes. Gregory XI decided to return to Rome. His death caused the Great Schism. Clement VII and Benedict XIII reigned again in Avignon. Overall it was nine popes who succeeded in the papal palace. Avignon was a papal possession up to the French Revolution. --- The construction of the strongly fortified Palais, that is one of the largest medieval structures in Europe, began in 1252. The Palais was built in two phases with two distinct segments, known as the "Palais Vieux" and "Palais Neuf". By the time of its completion, it occupied an area of 11,000 m². The Palais Vieux was constructed by Pierre Poisson of Mirepoix at the instruction of Pope Benedict XII. Benedict had the original episcopal palace razed and replaced with a much larger building centred on a cloister, heavily fortified against attackers. Under Popes Clement VI, Innocent VI and Urban V, the building was expanded to form what is now known as the Palais Neuf. After the Popes finally returned to Rome, the Palais (and the city) remained under papal control, but the state Palais gradually deteriorated. In 1789 it was seized and sacked by revolutionary forces. Under Napoleon the Palais was used as a military barracks and prison. In a building that long unattended it is easy to carve in graffiti. In 1797 "C. Besson" carved in his name.

I had been in Petit Niort in 2016 when I hiked the Via Turonenis. At that time the church was under reconstruction and completely locked. Now I could see the walls and found more carved graffiti.