Charente-Maritime (17) and Charente (16)

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings and a very interesting variety of claddings. Somehow this looks like a kind of 3-dimensional sample-book for prospective clients of the master builders. It can´t be that way actually, as in Rétaud, only 6kms north, is a church, that looks like a twin of this structure. Two "sample-books" in such a short distance?

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings and a very interesting variety of claddings. Somehow this looks like a kind of 3-dimensional sample-book for prospective clients of the master builders. It can´t be that way actually, as in Rétaud, only 6kms north, is a church, that looks like a twin of this structure. Two "sample-books" in such a short distance?

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. Some corbels depict musicians and acrobats. Here is a flexible contortionist hovering over the semicircular blind arch.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. Some corbels depict musicians and acrobats. Here is another contortionist.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. Some corbels depict musicians and acrobats. Here is another, small, little weathered contortionist - and a power line.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. Some corbels depict musicians and acrobats. This musician plays the vielle. The posture is typical for violinists today.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. Some corbels depict musicians and acrobats. Here is the collegue of the "violinist" (previous upload). He plays the harp or psaltery.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals, dangerous chimerae and - and this young man, who looks a bit sceptical into the future.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals, dangerous chimerae and - and this dog (fox?), holding a bread - and turning around, facing the onlookers below.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals, dangerous chimerae and other threatening creatures. All of them are masterly carved compared to these lions. They are roaring on a capital under the roof.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals, chimerae and threatening creatures like this devouring monster. The victim looks very unhappy, what is understandable.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals, chimerae and threatening creatures like this devouring monster. Only a tiny human arm can be seen, between the monster´s horrible teeth.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals and chimerae like this centaur, who is using a slingshot, a very powerful weapon. A slingshot is a bit unusual, most centaurs are equipped with bows and arrows.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. The corbels depict musicians, acrobats, mythical animals and chimerae. You may have seen the right centaur with the slingshot already on the previous upload. Here you can see, that he indeed hit the neighbouring centaur - and damaged him badly.

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". The structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, that it is believed, it may have served as a priory church, after it was completed end of the 12th / early 13th century. As the walls are built from the soft local sandstone, it was easy to scratch graffiti into them. But, just as the carvings, the carved graffiti have weathered. It is impossible to date them, but they may have been carved in by pilgrims on the Via Tolosana. Here are crosses, sails - and a horse?

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. The facades differ clearly. Saint-Trojan has a less intricate portal with two blind arches, an architectonial design typical for the "style saintongeais". Carved capitals top the pillars ending in a long row of sculpted corbels.

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. The facades differ clearly. Saint-Trojan has a less intricate portal with two blind arches, an architectonial design typical for the "style saintongeais". Carved capitals top the four pillars of the facade. One of them has this trio of heads. The right one may be a devil, judging from his punkish hairstyle. Somehow the faces have a Baroque touch.

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. Facing east to the choir of the single nave church. The nave is pretty dark. The walls seem to have a problem with moisture.