Travel to France (10) - holy mountain in the water

2023-06-21

As far as I know, mountains should "grow" on ground, and world cultural heritage - French Mont Saint-Michel (Mont Saint-Michel) "grows" in water. Not only is Mont Saint-Michel not a mountain at all in traditional sense, it is a city, but it is also called “Holy Mountain”, attracting more than 3 million people annually to worship here, and film “Holy Mountain” also became. Filming location « Lord of Rings." Why is this?

It must be because of Saint-Michel. In "Bible" he led army of kingdom of heaven to defeat Satan, symbol of evil, and thus enjoys high status of "archangel" and is in charge of human souls. As God's most powerful helper, Michel uses scales in her hand to weigh weight of good and evil of people in final judgment. Those who do good will be taken to heaven by them, and those who do evil will be brought to hell. Satan. That is why many churches in Christian countries bear his name.

Travel to France (10) - holy mountain in the water

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

Although Saint-Michel occupies a high position in Bible, Mount Saint-Michel is named after him not because of his status, but because of a miracle. In 708 AD he entrusted dream to bishop three times in a row, asking him to build a church on site of Mont Saint-Michel, but bishop hesitated, so Saint Michel pointed his finger at his episcopal dream. dream head. After bishop woke up from his sleep, he did not dare to hesitate any longer and immediately ordered construction of a chapel dedicated to Michel here. To increase divinity of church, bishop also brought a corner of rock from church in Italy, on which Michel's footprints were left. Since then, it has become a center of pilgrimage, third most important holy place in Catholicism after Jerusalem and Vatican, and even patron saint of France. So much so that people today often say that if you haven't been to Mont Saint-Michel, you haven't been to France.

Why is Mont Saint-Michel considered patron saint of France? It has to start with long history of France.

Mont Saint-Michel

In 711 AD, third year after construction of Church of St. Michael, Arabs crossed Strait of Gibraltar and entered Iberian Peninsula. More than 20 years later, Arabs crossed Pyrenees and invaded Kingdom of Franks. Charles Matt, Minister of Palace of Kingdom of Franks, prevented an Arab attack in Tours, today's France, and successfully defended capital of kingdom, Paris. The Franks believed that this was glory brought to them by St. Michael, so they began to build a church, which was originally just a cave. When Charlemagne's empire was founded by Charlemagne, grandson of Charlemagne, Charlemagne proclaimed Saint Michael patron of empire. Saint Michel's church was further expanded and his wealth increased even further.

With collapse of empire of Charlemagne and invasion of Vikings, it became a refuge for Norman peasants. Gradually, over several decades, a small town formed under church. However, when king of Western France gave place to Norman Vikings and Norman duchy they had built, everything changed here. The Normans who converted to Christianity are famous for their devotion to Catholicism. They expelled all priests from here in 966 AD, and then built a Romanesque Benedictine monastery on top of church. The Benedictine monks of "Father of Monasticism" renamed Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel here.

Church of Mont Saint-Michel

With blessing of Saint Michel, King Philip II of France expelled Normans from here at beginning of 13th century, and then built a new castle and a Gothic mix with a monastery as center. Since then, it has become largest religious complex in Normandy. The number of pilgrims continues to increase, and wealth and influence of abbey continue to expand. During Hundred Years' War between Britain and France, it became a fighting fortress and was saved from fall of enemy thanks to defense of Saint-Michel. The British stormed here for 24 years, but Mont Saint-Michel remained adamant and became only military fortress in Normandy that did not fall. Saint Michel also spoke to Joan of Arc, saying "I am Michel, Guardian of France, please stand up and save King of France."

After end of Hundred Years War, French who won war considered Mount Saint-Michel as their spiritual symbol and intensified their efforts to transform it, replacing places for choir and altar with a fiery Gothic formula, etc. Mont Saint-Michel, built by hundreds years ago, made of bricks and tiles, is a huge medieval complex consisting of houses, ramparts, castles and monasteries, which holds a special place in hearts of French, like great French writer Hugo Said. : "Mont Saint-Michel is as important to France as Great Pyramid is to Egypt."

Mont Saint-Michel

Entrance to Mont Saint-Michel

But where is this conical Mont Saint-Michel? It sits on a tidal island on edge of Atlantic Ocean overlooking English Channel, less than 150 kilometers from Omaha Beach, where Normandy amphibious battle took place. The so-called tidal island means that when sea tide goes out, island joins land, and when tide rises, island becomes an isolated island in sea. Today, a 4 km dam connects it to mainland.

Mont Saint-Michel on Tide Island was originally a rocky mountain 88 m high and 900 m in circumference. First, a church dedicated to Saint-Michel by a bishop was built in a cave in rocky mountain. . Only after several centuries of construction, rocky mountain is almost covered with buildings, and there is no mountain at all. Unlike other tidal islands, tidal island on which Mont Saint-Michel is located is extremely fast, reaching 62 meters per minute, so surroundings of Mont Saint-Michel will instantly turn into a huge ocean. , which makes it look like a holy mountain floating in sea. Because I took wrong route along way, I was lucky enough to see different styles of Mont Saint-Michel at high and low tide.

Small town in Mont Saint-Michel

When we arrived at Mont Saint-Michel, it was almost 5 pm. After getting off bus, we found out that we need to take a free bus to holy mountain, and bus can only stop at new bridge leading to holy mountain. holy mountain. At this time, tide was low, and there was no sea water around new bridge, we only saw Couesnon River flowing into The Mont-Saint-Michel Bay and sand on sand, a lot of silt and sediment. These silts and sediments were caused by construction of a long embankment connecting holy mountain in 19th century. After construction of embankment, spectacle of tide, similar to galloping horses, disappeared.

When we saw Mont Saint-Michel, a world heritage site that combines Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and other architectural styles, we didn't think it was beautiful at all, except that it was a giant. a little ugly, but World Cultural Heritage Committee said it was a "unique aesthetic feature", part of road, and for second time it was inscribed on World Cultural Heritage List. The same place has been included in list of world cultural heritage twice, and this is first time I hear about it.

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

Above abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

If you want to get to holy mountain, you need to go through Outpost Gate, Avenue Gate and King's Gate. As soon as we entered first gate, we felt crowd here. The narrow streets are full of people, lined with shops, hotels, restaurants and a small church. We followed stream of people to top of mountain, where famous monastery of Mont Saint-Michel was located. But when we got there we found that it was closed. This monastery is "soul" of holy mountain, and it would be a pity if I could not see it. opened next day.

I made up my mind, and my husband and I walked around holy mountain and found that it was like a labyrinth, like Santorini in Greece, with many steps and twists and turns, and we could not find way to come. We thought that while we were going down stairs, we would definitely find entrance from which we came. Found. Michelin restaurant at entrance. Husband said: "The environment here is not good and there are too many people. Luckily we didn't eat here. When we hurried back to parking lots, we found a parking fee here. Very expensive, 15 euros for two hours. The next day we spent another 15 euros This meant that to visit this holy mountain we paid 30 euros just for parking, most expensive parking on our month-long trip to France.

Abbey Church of Mont Saint-Michel

When we arrived at B&B, we were unable to contact owner. The lady, who did not speak English at all, but spoke enthusiastically with us in French, and then did not lock car, and sent us all way to landlord's house. The next morning we were literally first to reach monastery. At that time, tide was just high, and sea water extended to foot of holy mountain, and scenery was beautiful. Since it was still too early, bustling narrow streets were empty yesterday, which was very different from previous day's scene. When monastery opened, I took lead and quickly climbed 100 steps, leaving rest far behind, and actually burned "first stick of incense." After that, my husband told me that people behind me were laughing at me and told him that I was amazing. Hey, who made Mont Saint Michel a sacred mountain for thousands of years?

Tickets to monastery are not expensive, 11 euros per person, which is much cheaper than parking fee. I was looking forward to seeing murals in cave church of Göreme Open Air Museum in Turkey in this monastery, which combines architectural styles from different periods, but there is almost nothing on walls of entire monastery, and I am a little disappointed.

Inner courtyard of abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

The three-storey abbey of Mont Saint-Michel consists of Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Michel and Gothic Tower of Miracles. St. Michael's Cathedral, located on third floor, is oldest part of entire monastery, once it was a study room for monks and occupies an important place in hearts of Christians. It was built in first half of 11th century and it took Normans more than 60 years to build it. It is divided into three parts: altar, transept and main hall. The main hall is in typical Romanesque style, while round altar is in Gothic style. However, this church is too simple, there are no chairs, no rose windows, and even a very important altar is empty, which is completely different from Catholic altars that I have been to. No wonder, isn't this a Benedictine monastery? This alignment is fully consistent with meditative, strict and simple ascetic life of Benedictines.

In front of church there is a very wide platform with a very good view of Gulf of Saint-Michel, which, together with Mont Saint-Michel, is listed as a world cultural heritage. Standing on this platform, silt that I saw yesterday has disappeared, and blue water in front of me pleases my eyes. Looking back, it is a very simple facade of church, but there is a golden statue of Saint Michael on spire of church, which makes the church look more luxurious. However, this statue was cast in 1987.

In abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

If there is nothing unusual about this church, then corridor on side of church is very unusual. This monastery makes an interesting contrast to courtyard and is considered a masterpiece of medieval architectural art. The two-tier colonnades at monastery are made of granite, colonnades are arranged in a chaotic manner, and there are beautiful arches between pillars, exquisite patterns are carved on arches. In middle of corridor there is a green lawn on which a mother gull hatches its chick. Once it was most hidden place of monastery, and only monks had right to enter church from here.

This corridor is part of Wonder Building. The miraculous house, built in first half of 13th century, also includes a dining room, a knight's hall on second floor and guest rooms on ground floor, a cellar and a missionary. The whole Wonder Building is like a labyrinth, and inside is also very simple, but Knight's Hall on second floor is completely different. There are massive double chimney fireplaces, hanging toilets and vanished stained glass, paintings and glazed tiles. Judging by layout, this hall is intended for distinguished guests. It's right. After Hundred Years' War, King Louis XI of France imitated English Knights of Garter, established French Knights of Saint Michel in Knights' Hall, and formulated "Edict of Saint Michel" to win support of noble group. . Interestingly, Knights of Garter in England were established by provocateur of Hundred Years War between England and France - King Edward III of England to unite English nobility. Are Saint George representing England and Saint Michel representing France inspiration behind Hundred Years War?

In abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

In the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

Above abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

I hope I'm talking nonsense, how dare I criticize a saint? sin sin. On second floor there is another room with same structure as that of Knights. This room is dedicated to activities of monks in copying manuscripts. It also has a fireplace, which is convenient for monks to warm up in winter. The first floor of monastery is a basement, which was used to provide food and lodging for poor who came here for pilgrimage, and during French Revolution was used as a prison.

This mountain has been considered a sacred mountain since its construction. She was also known as spiritual symbol of France after Hundred Years War between Britain and France. army during World War II The German army served as a watchtower. Fortunately, allied troops did not blow up this holy mountain, as they did castle of Rouen, so souls of French still have a place to hide. However, this holy mountain was place where Celts, masters of this land in France, worshiped gods in second millennium BC. These people experienced vicissitudes of life on site of Mont Saint-Michel, which was originally called Grave Hill, with sea and wind. They moved to Britain when ancient Romans invaded, and then returned to their "old nest" due to invasion of barbarians, and founded Kingdom of Brittany a step away from Mont Saint-Michel. I want to go there to learn history of Brittany and enjoy endless scenery of Rose Coast.

Route

Near Mont Saint-Michel

Travel to France (10) - holy mountain in the water

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