Page 53 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

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IQM ON T· • Paris
ST-MICHEL
FRANCE
BAY OF
BISCAY • Bordeaux
Marseille•
A Tides of Mont-St-Michel
Extremely strong tides in the MEDIT£ RRANEAN
SPAIN SEA
Baie du Mont-St-Michel act
as a natural defense. They
rise and fall with the lunar
calendar and can reach BISHOP AUBERT
speeds of 6 mph (1 0 kmlh) For centuries, the Mont was recognized as a
in spring. sacred site of devotion, where both Druids and
Romans worshiped. In 708, Aubert Bishop of
the nearby town of Avranches, had a vision in
A St Aubert's Chapel
This small 15th-century chapel, A Gautier's which the Archangel Michael commanded t
built on an outcrop of rock, is Leap hat a chapel be built in his honor on Mont-St-
dedicated to St. Aubert, the Michel. In response, Bishop Aubert had an
founder of Mont-St-Michel.
Ramparts > oratory erected on the sum mit, his belief
inspiring one of Christianity's most spectacular
fglise St-Pierre
A dramatic statue of St. holy sites. The faithful came to appeal for the
Michael slaying a dragon can archangel's protection and Mont-St-Michel soon
be seen in the elaborately
carved side chapel of this became an important place of pilgrimage.
medieval church. Although nothing rem a ins of Bishop Aubert's
original oratory, it is thought to have been
situated on the west side of the rock, on the
ground where St. Aubert's Chapel now stands.

THE ABBEY
The three levels of the abbey reflect the mon-
astic hierarchy. The monks lived at the highest
level, in the end osed world of the church, the
refectory and the elegant columns of the
cloister. In 1776, three bays in the church's nave
were pulled down to create the West Terrace,
which has fine views of the coastline. Monks ate
in the long, narrow refectory, which is flooded
with light through its tall windows. On the
middle level, the abbot entertained his nob I e
guests. Soldiers and pilgrims further down the
social scale were received at the I ow est I evel of
the abbey, in the almonry. The three-story
complex of La Mervei/le (The Miracle), added to
the north side in the early 13th century, is a
Gothic masterpiece (Gothic Style, see p.54).

Grande Rue> THE MONT PRISON
Now crowded with restaurants,
the pilgrims' route, followed The monastery first served as a prison in the
since the 12th century, climbs 15th century under the reign of Louis XI, whose
Arcade Tower up past Eglise St-Pierre to the political opponents were kept here in famously
This provided lodgings gates of the abbey. severe conditions. During the French Revolution,
for the abbot's soldiers.
the monks were dismissed and the abbey
once again functioned as a penitentiary, with
Abbey Cloister>
Inside the abbey is a aristocrats, priests, and political adversaries
13th-century Anglo- imprisoned within its walls. Prominent figures,
Norman covered including writers such as Chateaubriand and
gallery. It surrounds Victor Hugo, protested against this practice, but
an open-air garden
where the monks Mont-St-Michel remained a state prison for 73
would meditate. years until October 20, 1863, when a decree was
passed returning the abbey to divine worship.