Martin M. Miles' photos

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to. The sea, that runs all around the ceiling, is populated with many more horrible sea-monsters and this lovely trio of mermaids. They are very gifted in music.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to. The "sea", that runs all around the ceiling is populated with many more horrible sea-monsters, while "inland" is a biblical scenery.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to. There are a couple of horrible sea-monsters. Here the sea-elephant.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to. Here are three horrible sea-monsters. It looks like mythical land-beasts had "counterparts" in the sea. A sea-lion, a sea-elephant and a sea-unicorn. Above are scenes from the bible.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church was erected in the early 12th century along an old (pre-Roman) road that crosses the Alps and from here runs through the dangerous "Via Mala". So here was a place to stop and pray.. A huge "Saint Christopher" is next to the door. He would probably guide the anxious travellers through the "Via Mala", the notorious section of a path between Zillis and Thusis. This narrow gorge was the most serious obstacle on the approach to two mountain passes: the Spluegen and the San Bernardino. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church, here seen/zoomed from Casti, was erected in the early 12th century along an old (pre-Roman) road that crosses the Alps and from here runs through the dangerous "Via Mala". So here was a place to stop and pray.. Note the huge "Saint Christopher" next to the door. He would probably guide the anxious travellers through the "Via Mala". St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside.

The church of the little settlement of Casti, halfway up the mountains, is located on a promontory, overlooking the valley of the Hinterrhein, one of the two initial tributaries of the Rhine River. The church dates back to the 12th century. Later the apse was adorned by a large, colourful frescoe, of which only some parts have survived. The frescoe is attributed to an artist (or studio) named "Waltensburger Meister", who worked in the area in the early 14th century.

The church of the little settlement of Casti, halfway up the mountains, is located on a promontory, overlooking the valley of the Hinterrhein, one of the two initial tributaries of the Rhine River. The chuch dates back to the 12th century.

Early October brought snow to the mountains of Graubuenden, the easternmost canton of Switzerland. The French and English name of the canton is Grisons. Three of the four national Swiss languages are spoken here: German, Italian and Romansh.

Early October brought snow to the mountains of Graubuenden, the easternmost canton of Switzerland. The French and English name of the canton is Grisons. Three of the four national Swiss languages are spoken here: German, Italian and Romansh.

Early October brought snow to the mountains of Graubuenden, the easternmost canton of Switzerland. The French and English name of the canton is Grisons. Three of the four national Swiss languages are spoken here: German, Italian and Romansh.

Oberwinterthur is since 1922 part of Winterthur. The parish church St. Arbogast is located on a "church hill", where in Roman times the settlement "Vitudurum" was established. Archeologists have excaveted much of the Roman "vicus", that had its center, where the church is now. It is proven, that already in the 1st century houses existed an a street was built. During the Alamanii invasions, the place got fortified. The date of the construction around 294 AD is documented by an inscription stone. At the same place the predecessor building of the St. Arbogast was erected in the 6th/7th century. The dedication to Saint Arbogast of Strassburg may link this church to Frankish king Dagobert I, the last of the Merovingians. The church of today was erected probably in the end of the 12th century. Here is the Romanesque nave. The frescoes were created in the early 14th century. Here is the "Weighing of souls".

Oberwinterthur is since 1922 part of Winterthur. The parish church St. Arbogast is located on a "church hill", where in Roman times the settlement "Vitudurum" was established. Archeologists have excaveted much of the Roman "vicus", that had its center, where the church is now. It is proven, that already in the 1st century houses existed an a street was built. During the Alamanii invasions, the place got fortified. The date of the construction around 294 AD is documented by an inscription stone. At the same place the predecessor building of the St. Arbogast was erected in the 6th/7th century. The dedication to Saint Arbogast of Strassburg may link this church to Frankish king Dagobert I, the last of the Merovingians. The church of today was erected probably in the end of the 12th century. Here is the Romanesque nave. The frescoes were created in the early 14th century. Here is the Entry of Christ into Jerusalem - Palm Sunday.

Oberwinterthur is since 1922 part of Winterthur. The parish church St. Arbogast is located on a "church hill", where in Roman times the settlement "Vitudurum" was established. Archeologists have excaveted much of the Roman "vicus", that had its center, where the church is now. It is proven, that already in the 1st century houses existed an a street was built. During the Alamanii invasions, the place got fortified. The date of the construction around 294 AD is documented by an inscription stone. At the same place the predecessor building of the St. Arbogast was erected in the 6th/7th century. The dedication to Saint Arbogast of Strassburg may link this church to Frankish king Dagobert I, the last of the Merovingians. The church of today was erected probably in the end of the 12th century. The frescoes all around the nave were created in the early 14th century. Here is a hunting scene.

Oberwinterthur is since 1922 part of Winterthur. The parish church St. Arbogast is located on a "church hill", where in Roman times the settlement "Vitudurum" was established. Archeologists have excaveted much of the Roman "vicus", that had its center, where the church is now. It is proven, that already in the 1st century houses existed an a street was built. During the Alamanii invasions, the place got fortified. The date of the construction around 294 AD is documented by an inscription stone. At the same place the predecessor building of the St. Arbogast was erected in the 6th/7th century. The dedication to Saint Arbogast of Strassburg may link this church to Frankish king Dagobert I, the last of the Merovingians. The church of today was erected probably in the end of the 12th century. Here is the Romanesque nave. The frescoes were created in the early 14th century.

Oberwinterthur is since 1922 part of Winterthur. The parish church St. Arbogast is located on a "church hill", where in Roman times the settlement "Vitudurum" was established. Archeologists have excaveted much of the Roman "vicus", that had its center, where the church is now. It is proven, that already in the 1st century houses existed an a street was built. During the Alamanii invasions, the place got fortified. The date of the construction around 294 AD is documented by an inscription stone. At the same place the predecessor building of the St. Arbogast was erected in the 6th/7th century. The dedication to Saint Arbogast of Strassburg may link this church to Frankish king Dagobert I, the last of the Merovingians. The church of today was erected probably in the end of the 12th century. It is known for its frescoes from the early 14th century.