Corrèze (19), Creuse (23), Haute-Vienne (87) = Limousin

Raoul de Bourges (aka "Saint Raoul"), archbishop of Bourges, son of the Count of Turenne founded an abbey on the banks of the Dordogne river in the 9th century with the help of monks from Solignac, where Raoul had started his clerical career. After feudal quarrels, the abbey Saint-Pierre joined the Cluniac movement in 1076 and soon after the erection of this church started. It was completed already mid 12th century. Though not situated at the busy pilgrim routes (eg "Via Podensis" runs about 60kms south) a large, typical "pilgrim church" was created here. It may well been, that the relics, that were on display here (Saint-Prime, Saint-Félicien, Sainte-Félicité) and the proximity to Rocamador (30kms southwest) motivated many pilgrims to do a detour. The abbey slipped into difficult times, when the number of pilgrims shrunk and feudal claims emerged again. The abbey and the city of Beaulieu suffered of the Wars of Religion. The Huguenots took over Beaulieu in 1569 and the monks had to flee. After the "Ligue Catholique" had reconquered the place, the monks returned and soon after the convent joined the Congregation of Saint Maur. The abbey existed upto the French revolution, when the last 6 monks had to leave. The abbey buildings got sold and demolished, while the church was taken over by the parish. The structure was in a ruined state at that time. The nave partly collapsed in 1808, but a difficult renovation undertaken end of the 19th century finally saved the church. There are many corbels under the roof of Saint-Pierre. This one depicts conjoined, male twins.

Saillac, a small village south of Collonges-la-Rouge, has a remarkable parish church. Saint Jean Baptist was originally built within the 12th century. Though the church got fortified later, it suffered a lot of damage during the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution. What can be seen today is the result of major renovations carried out during the 19th and 20th century.

Saillac, a small village south of Collonges-la-Rouge, has a remarkable parish church. Saint Jean Baptist was originally built within the 12th century. Though the church got fortified later, it suffered a lot of damage during the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution. What can be seen today is the result of major renovations carried out during the 19th and 20th century. The polychrome tympanum survived the times, well, maybe the colours have been repainted. The Adoration of the Magi. Note the trumeau with twisted bands of hounds chasing a deer. The information given locally calls this style "languedocien". It is an interesting work, but it may be added later.

Saillac, a small village south of Collonges-la-Rouge, has a remarkable parish church. Saint Jean Baptist was originally built within the 12th century. Though the church got fortified later, it suffered a lot of damage during the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution. What can be seen today is the result of major renovations carried out during the 19th and 20th century. The polychrome tympanum survived the times, well, maybe the colours have been repainted. The Adoration of the Magi, the horses one of the Magi´s attributes wait to the left. Joseph (to the right) is barefoot. On the lintel are two giant dragons. The left (pale) one is just devouring a sinner, while a saint (nimbus) fights the right one. He pushes a knife/sword into the mouth of the beast - that has a human head.

Saillac, a small village south of Collonges-la-Rouge, has a remarkable parish church. Saint Jean Baptist was originally built within the 12th century. Though the church got fortified later, it suffered a lot of damage during the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution. What can be seen today is the result of major renovations carried out during the 19th and 20th century. The polychrome tympanum that survived the times dpicts the Adoration of the Magi (see previous uploads). The lintel is supported by a trumeau with twisted bands of hounds chasing a deer. Here is a detail. Actually this is a battue, here is one of the hunters´ helper - and the deer. The helper´s task is to frighten the game with the flag and chase it to the hunter. The information given locally calls this style "languedocien". It is an interesting work, but may be added within the last century.

Collonges-la-Rouge is picturesque, small village that is entirely built with red sandstone, It is one of the "Plus Beaux Villages de France", what means that in the summer months the village is much more tourists than inhabitants, as the population is well below 500. A priory, dependent from the Benedictian Abbey of Charroux (Poitou Charentes) existed here. When pilgrims passed through Collognes on their way to Rocamadour, the convent prospered for a while. After the French Revolution most buildings of the priory were sold and demolished. The church was saved - now serves the parish. Saint-Pierre was erected within the 11th/12th centuries. Alterations were undertaken during the Wars of Religion, when fortifications were needed. The tympanum seen here is one of the few white stones in the village. It represents the Ascension of Christ. The slightly pointed tympanum is back here since 1923, as it was taken off the church and hidden since the Wars of Religions. The population of the village feared an iconoclastic fury.

Collonges-la-Rouge is picturesque, small village that is entirely built with red sandstone, It is one of the "Plus Beaux Villages de France", what means that in the summer months the village is much more tourists than inhabitants, as the population is well below 500. A priory, dependent from the Benedictian Abbey of Charroux (Poitou Charentes) existed here. When pilgrims passed through Collognes on their way to Rocamadour, the convent prospered for a while. After the French Revolution the buildings of the priory were sold and demolished. The church was saved - now serves the parish. Saint-Pierre was erected within the 11th/12th centuries. Alterations were undertaken during the Wars of Religion, when fortifications were needed. One of the capitals depicts a hunter - and a bear with a kind of safety leash. This cannot be a dancing bear. I have seen lots of hunting-dogs, but never a hunting-bear. There was a bear with a similar leash in Carennac the other day.

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. Like seen in nearby Collonges-la-Rouge (previous uplaod), red sandstone was the material that was on hands locally, so this church, built in the 12th century was "rouge" as well. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in the Gothic style, reusing some of the capitals of the Romanesque structure. Severely damaged again during the French Revolution and poorly repaired during the 19th century, a new facade (not to be seen from this pov) had to be built about a century ago, to secure the structure.

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in the Gothic style, reusing some of the capitals of the Romanesque structure. That was probably, when fortifications including the small turret were added. Severely damaged again during the French Revolution and poorly repaired during the 19th century. The new facade, seen here, had to be erected about a century ago, to secure the structure.

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave, seen here, was rebuilt later in a simple Gothic style. The choir in the east is still Romanesque, so are some of the capitals.

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in a simple Gothic style. During the French Revolution the church suffered damage again. This Romanesque baptismal font survived the times. Generation of villagers were baptised here.

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in a simple Gothic style, that again suffered damage during the French Revolution. Large parts of choir of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens is still Romanesque - and there are some extraordinary capitals. Here is one of them. A scene from Paradise. The snake has given Eve an apple. She hands over one fruit to Adam, - while God (nimbus) faces the onlookers on the other side of the capital. Above the Tree of Knowledge is a nosy sun.

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in a simple Gothic style, that again suffered damage during the French Revolution. Large parts of choir of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens is still Romanesque - and there are some extraordinary capitals. Here is one of them, depicting japanese Sumo wrestler. Sumo has it´s roots in Shinto ceremonies and is known in Japan since the 7th or 8th century. German doctor Engelbert Kaempfer, born 1651, was one of the first who was able to travel in Japan. He died in 1716 in Lemgo, where he was born. His manuscript "The History of Japan" was published in London in 1727. How could a mason within the 12th century in a rural area like the Corrèze have any knowledge about a Shinto ceremony, described in Europe centuries later? Did the Einstein–Rosen bridge offer this spectacular view?

"Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens" ("Saint Peter in Chains") is the parish church of Noailhac. The erection of the church started in the 12th century and was probably completed soon after. The church got partly destroyed during the Hundred Years War, so the nave was rebuilt later in a simple Gothic style, that again suffered damage during the French Revolution. Large parts of choir of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens is still Romanesque - and there are some extraordinary capitals. After having found Japanese sumotori on a medieval capital in this small church (see previous upload) I had contemplated about seers, visionaries and wormholes. The same gifted mason created this capital, depicting two dogs. It obviously refers to a Joni Mitchell song from the 1980s or the US-Band "Dog Eat Dog", or..

Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. The Cistercians may not have been the first here, as despite Bernard of Clairvaux´s damnation of sculptural works, the Romanesque portal of Saint-Marcel is remarkable. This may be a proof of an earlier influence from some unknown Cluniac place.

Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. The Cistercians may not have been the first here, as despite Bernard of Clairvaux´s damnation of sculptural works, the Romanesque portal of Saint-Marcel is remarkable. This may be a proof of an earlier influence from some unknown Cluniac place. The western portal of Saint-Marcel under a line of granite corbels are slightly pointed archivolts, flanked by large reliefs on either sides.

Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. The Cistercians may not have been the first here, as despite Bernard of Clairvaux´s damnation of sculptural works, the Romanesque portal of Saint-Marcel is remarkable. This may be a proof of an earlier influence from some unknown Cluniac place. The left side of the portal. The structure shows parallels to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne with the pillar in front of the carving. Here are two halfs, of which the left one is in a much better state, than the right one, where some parts are missing. Over the arch of the left side is a miniature scene of Romanesque architecture. This may stand for a monastery. When this was placed here, the villagers knew exactly, which one. Below is a large angel, swinging a censer. He stands at the end of a bed, in which a person is taking the dying breath. The right side is pretty damaged or weathered. A mourning person sits next to the bed, while the soul is just leaves the body - and either an angel or a devil grabs the soul. Note that a lamp is hanging from the pillar and "lightens" the scene, this creates a "reality" of background and foreground for the onlooker. He is looking "into" a room through a transparent wall. -- This was my first impression - Meanwhile I doubt, that the angel swings a censer.... The angel holds a scale (the balance beam is broken off). What I saw as a censer and what I saw as a lamp - both are pans. There is even a small head looking from the left pan! This is a psichostasia, the the "Weighing of the Soul". The bedpost seen on the left is carved, What a luxury! This is probably the death of a rich person.

Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. Saint-Marcel dominates the center of Lagrauliere like a castle. Built in the 12th century on older foundations the church underwent a couple of alterations, fortifications and renovations over the centuries. Once monks from the Cistercian Obazine Abbey (30kms south) lived in the top floors of the tower. The Cistercians may not have been the first here, as despite Bernard of Clairvaux´s damnation of sculptural works, the Romanesque portal of Saint-Marcel is remarkable. This may be a proof of an earlier influence from some unknown Cluniac place. The right side of the portal is pretty weathered. A devil sits on the shoulders of a miser, who is identified by the moneybag around his neck. The devil is pulling the miser´s hair. To the right a person carrying a large fish. I have the impression, that large parts of the medieval carving are missing here. -- Thanks to Julianna Lees I know meanwhile that the right person is probably Tobias and the medicinal fish. Tobit 6:4 " The angel said to him, "“Grab the fish and hang on to it." So Tobias hung on to the fish and brought it up onto the dry ground."