Normandie

Unfortunately I had no broken electronic device with me, that could have been fixed here. This photo is dedicated to my friends Walter G. and Árpád M.-P. And of course as well to Nick Hornby, the English novelist.

The Normans had raided the whole area in the 10th century, so Gournay-en-Bray was a fortified village, that burnt down with its church in 1174. A new church was built here, that in 1192 got consecrated. The "collégiale" was dedicated to St. Stephen ("Saint Etienne"). When the relics of Saint Hildevert, once Bishop of Meaux, were transferred to this church, dedication and name of the collegiate changed. The church was enlarged and remodeled a couple of times over the centuries. The nave dates back to the Romanesque church, while the two towers, that frame the facade were erected around 1650.

The Normans had raided the whole area in the 10th century, so Gournay-en-Bray was a fortified village, that burnt down with its church in 1174. A new church was built here, that in 1192 got consecrated. The "collégiale" was dedicated to St. Stephen ("Saint Etienne"). When the relics of Saint Hildevert, once Bishop of Meaux, were transferred to this church, dedication and name of the collegiate changed. The church was enlarged and remodeled a couple of times over the centuries. The walls of the nave, the aisles and the massive columns in between are unchanged, they date back to the 12th century

The Normans had raided the whole area in the 10th century, so Gournay-en-Bray was a fortified village, that burnt down with its church in 1174. A new church was built here, that in 1192 got consecrated. The "collégiale" was dedicated to St. Stephen ("Saint Etienne"). When the relics of Saint Hildevert, once Bishop of Meaux, were transferred to this church, dedication and name of the collegiate changed. The church was enlarged and remodeled a couple of times over the centuries. The walls of the nave, the aisles and the massive columns in between are unchanged. They date back to the 12th century Most of the capitals in Saint-Hildevert have geometric patterns and are very decorative, but some are very different. Here is one of them. On the side is a musician, playing a flute. IN the center a miser, holding his money bag. He is flanked by evil grinning persons.

The Normans had raided the whole area in the 10th century, so Gournay-en-Bray was a fortified village, that burnt down with its church in 1174. A new church was built here, that in 1192 got consecrated. The "collégiale" was dedicated to St. Stephen ("Saint Etienne"). When the relics of Saint Hildevert, once Bishop of Meaux, were transferred to this church, dedication and name of the collegiate changed. The church was enlarged and remodeled a couple of times over the centuries. The walls of the nave, the aisles and the massive columns in between are unchanged. They date back to the 12th century Most of the capitals in Saint-Hildevert have geometric patterns and are very decorative, but some are very different. Many of them depict giant snakes. Here is one of them. The snake is just about to evour the left man.

The Normans had raided the whole area in the 10th century, so Gournay-en-Bray was a fortified village, that burnt down with its church in 1174. A new church was built here, that in 1192 got consecrated. The "collégiale" was dedicated to St. Stephen ("Saint Etienne"). When the relics of Saint Hildevert, once Bishop of Meaux, were transferred to this church, dedication and name of the collegiate changed. The church was enlarged and remodeled a couple of times over the centuries. The walls of the nave, the aisles and the massive columns in between are unchanged. They date back to the 12th century Most of the capitals in Saint-Hildevert have geometric patterns and are very decorative, but some are very different. Many of them depict giant snakes (see previous upload). Though attacked by a snake, the man to the left seems not really excited. He has crossed his arms. His bald colleague to the right is fighting the beast.

The elegant tower of Saint-Eustache was severely damaged by cyclone Lothar, that swept over Europe. in December 1999. Meanwhile all repairs are done - and so this is again the highest "slate roofed" steeple in France (54m).

Marcel Duchamp was born in Blainville-Crevon (about 20kms northeast of Rouen). He went to school here. One of Duchamp´s first "ready-mades" was "Fontaine", a urinal, that was exhibited in New York (1917). The original "Fontaine" actually got lost, today only replicas are known.

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert. The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated. The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180, the western facade, seen here partial, was created between 1370 and 1450. The "Buttertower" ("Tour de Beurre") was added around 1480. Soon after the first construction defects became obvious and the facade had to be reconstructed. Cathedrals need morr than just some TLC, so for the next years great parts of the facade will be hidden under scaffolding,

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert. The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated. The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180. It took centuries to complete the building. The Gothic nave, seen here is about 60m long.

A church was present here since the late 4th century, later even a Carolingian cathedral existed , but all buildings burnt down during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Rollo, last of the raiders and (after a treaty with Charles III ("Charles the Simple") founder of what became the Normandy, was baptized here in 915 - and changed his name to Robert. The erection of the "St. Romain Tower" (left) began in the 1140, after the bishop had visited his friend Suger in Saint Denis, where the choir of the new cathedral got consecrated. The construction of the "Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen" began around 1180. It took centuries to complete the building. Many of the statues, that once were placed on the facade, were destroyed by Calvinists in the late 16th century, when the cathedral was badly damaged during the Wars of Religion. The remaining are weathered and meanwhile can be found in the choir.

Seen here is the "Église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc" as Joan of Arc ("The Maid of Orléans", "La Pucelle d'Orléans") was burned at the stake on 30 May 1431 at the age of 19. When I walked from Trier to Vezelay in 2005 I passed through the village of Domremy, where she was born 1412. Today she is a heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. Her statue can be found even in the smallest French village-churches.

What is the parish church of Boscherville today was, upto the French Revolution the church of the "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conquerer. The church was erected within the 13th century. It is together with the chapter house and the house to the right the last remaining structure of the abbey.

What is the parish church of Boscherville today was, upto the French Revolution the church of the "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conquerer. The church was erected within the 13th century. It is together with the chapter house the last remaining structure of the abbey. Corbels all around the choir.

What is the parish church of Boscherville today was, upto the French Revolution the church of the "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conquerer. The church was erected within the 13th century. It is together with the chapter house the last remaining structure of the abbey.

What is the parish church of Boscherville today was, upto the French Revolution the church of the "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conquerer. The church was erected within the 13th century. It is together with the chapter house the last remaining structure of the abbey. There are some interesting capitals here, that seem pretty rough compared to the carvings around the chapter house.

What is the parish church of Boscherville today was, upto the French Revolution the church of the "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conquerer. The church was erected within the 13th century. It is together with the chapter house the last remaining structure of the abbey. These fighting knights seem to sit on ponies, but I learned, that horses were much smaller in medieval times.

This is the entrance to the chapter house of the former "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conqueror, and in existence upto the French Revolution. The abbey church (see previous uploads) serves the parish since then. Most buildings of the abbey got demolished after the Revolution, but the chapter house survived. I had been here about 10 years ago, when this part of the abbey was closed. This time I had more luck - and was surprised by originality and quality of the carvings.