Exploring with my camera
Nantes was a powerful and prosperous city in which religion was important, as is evidenced by the many substantial and beautiful churches in addition to the Cathedral. I wasn’t visiting the town in order to see the churches but it … Continued
The Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul in Nantes is built on the site of an earlier, Romanesque church and began building in 1434, taking nearly 500 years to complete. It is an extraordinarily beautiful and peaceful building, with … Continued
The Chateau in Nantes was built by François II, the last Duke of Brittany, in the 14C in order to defend Brittany – from the French!
Finally, time off in Brittany! The overnight ferry from Portsmouth delivers us to St Malo early in the morning. I haven’t finished writing about the Parish Enclosures, but I will be returning to those in the weeks ahead.
The Church of Saint Yves was built in the 16C on the site of a 14C Chapel built by the Rohan family, the rulers in the area. From the ruined castle you can look down on the church enclosure in … Continued
The door opens to a rich collection of wall paintings, carvings, vaulted ceiling, 16C stained glass windows, statues, and a Glory Beam – this is a place for lingering, preferably alone.
The Church of St Salomon in La Martyre, like many of the parish enclosures, is built on the site of an earlier complex. And like many of the churches it had to be rebuilt after storm damage. It was in the … Continued
As people push open the door of the church and step inside there is usually a murmur, or an ‘Aah’. After the dark exterior even the dim light inside cannot hide the extravagant colours, exuberant altar pieces, and extraordinary ceilings.
Notre Dame in Lampaul-Guimiliau is one of the extraordinary Parish Enclosures in Brittany.
It is quite difficult to take ‘interesting’ but true photographs of a church. Colour? Black and white? Odd angles? Details or the broader picture? And how can I convey the sense of age, beauty, and the mix of originality and … Continued