Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Norman Raids

Saint-Seurin was originally built outside the city walls close to an ancient necropolis. The Abbey of St. Seurin bears the name of the venerated fourth bishop of Bordeaux. A first building, confirmed towards mid 5th century, got destroyed during the 8th century Norman invasions. It was reconstructed above the crypt of St. Seurin from the 11th to 13th centuries. The crypt is part of a paleochristian necropolis and so parts if it may date back to the 4th century. Tradition tells, hat the necropolis had been consecrated by Christ and seven bishop saints. As the horn olifant was shown here, it is no surprise, that some of the brave soldiers who died with Roland at Roncevaux had been buried there. Unfortunately I was late and the guard only gave me 5 minutes time down in the crypt, before he locked the gates.

Saint-Seurin was originally built outside the city walls close to an ancient necropolis. The Abbey of St. Seurin bears the name of the venerated fourth bishop of Bordeaux. A first building, confirmed towards mid 5th century, got destroyed during the 8th century Norman invasions. It was reconstructed above the crypt of St. Seurin from the 11th to 13th centuries. The church underwent important modifications and got a new facade during the 19th century. Behind this facade parts of the Romanesque portal got saved. On one of the capitals is the Binding of Isaac Genesis 22, 9-13 "When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son."

Saint-Seurin was originally built outside the city walls close to an ancient necropolis. The Abbey of St. Seurin bears the name of the venerated fourth bishop of Bordeaux. A first building, confirmed towards mid 5th century, got destroyed during the 8th century Norman invasions. It was reconstructed above the crypt of St. Seurin from the 11th to 13th centuries. The church underwent important modifications and got a new facade during the 19th century. Behind this facade parts of the Romanesque portal got saved and so the birds still share the pine-cones. Bordeaux was a major halt on the Via Turonensis and the grave of Saint-Seurin was an important place for the many pilgrims.

Saint-Seurin was originally built outside the city walls close to an ancient necropolis. The Abbey of St. Seurin bears the name of the venerated fourth bishop of Bordeaux. A first building, confirmed towards mid 5th century, got destroyed during the 8th century Norman invasions. It was reconstructed above the crypt of St. Seurin from the 11th to 13th centuries. The church underwent important modifications during the 19th century. Bordeaux was one of the major halts on the Via Turonensis. The grave of Saint-Seurin was an important place for the many pilgrims. Another precious relic, shown here, was the ivory horn of Roland, who died at Roncevaux. Tradition claims that the horn "olifant", still reported in the 17th century and lost before the French Revolution, had been left by the Charlemagne on the altar of St. Seurin.