Knightly tournament in the castle of san miguel. Knight Tournament

Probably, you have already seen similar spectacles in other cities of the world: the idea is not new. The performance in Tenerife is not particularly original. Six multi-colored knights are not sparing their belly fight among themselves on the sandy arena with the use of piercing and cutting weapons; spectators sit on benches, drink and eat, give valuable advice to the participants of the show and express their emotions in all available ways, accepted in medieval Europe.
Survive, as in the film about the "Highlander", only one. The unpretentious storyline is somewhat complicated by the meanness and complete lack of nobility of some participants in the lists.

This event can be recommended for a family visit, especially since there are not so many options for cultural evening leisure in Tenerife. True, on one condition: adult tourists will not ignore the fun drinks that accompany the performance in unlimited quantities. It's not just that they bring them. Otherwise, there will be complaints about the staging of tricks, the script, the skill of the actors ... This is not the point, but in a good mood.

The show takes place in the Castillo San Miguel stylized as an ancient fortress in the south of the island.

At the entrance you will be dressed in a cape of one of six colors: now you are assigned to a fan group of a certain knight, called to cheer for your caballero and show disrespect to others.
Here you can also look closely at the hero. The knights pose at the walls of the fortress and willingly take pictures with everyone.

In general, the favorite of the tournament is known even before the start of the performance. All actors adhere to a predetermined, typical scenario. But if your sector cheers extremely actively and harmoniously, then there is a chance that your knight will win. Even if it wasn't originally intended. So the spectators also have the opportunity to participate in what is happening in the arena and influence the outcome of the competition.

The performance begins with knights demonstrating the aesthetics of riding and smoothly turns into a rough fight with pyrotechnic effects, where it is not immediately clear who is friends against whom. It is not yet clear where to look, because often several events are unfolding simultaneously in the arena.

Guests of the tournament are served a simple dinner with wine (included in the ticket price) in an iron bowl, and after the performance they are offered to go to another hall to listen to live music and dance.

As a summary - quite a decent show, if not taken too seriously and demandingly. And the kids won't be bored. Only the price of tickets is overpriced one and a half times.

By car, take the TF-1 motorway to the exit for San Miguel. Then about three km along TF-65 in the opposite direction from the coast to the town of Aldea Blanca.
By taxi from Las Americas approximately 25 € one way.
You can buy a ticket with a bus transfer.

Thursday, Saturday Show starts at 19:00 Tickets: €41.50 adult; 23 € child

Until something unique, unknown and super-interesting catches our eye, we will continue to walk along the most famous ones. There is a chance that you will learn or see something new. Well, if not, then you can still look at such beauty many times :-)

Before the appearance of man-made buildings, Mount Saint-Michel was only a rock with steep slopes, eighty meters high. The granite of which it is made is very strong and has not been eroded for thousands of years. Around Saint-Michel there was a dense forest, which is supposed to have been called the forest of Sissi. Over time, under the pressure of the sea, the forest disappeared. According to legend, a real tsunami - a huge whirlwind of water and wind - changed the landscape at the beginning of the 8th century. So Mount Saint-Michel, together with the neighboring hill of Tombelin, seemed to separate from the continent, turning into an island at high tide. Three rivers flow along the sandy shores around the mountain: Se, Selyun and Kuenon. The latter is the border between Brittany and Normandy. A French proverb says: "Couesnon went mad, that's why Mount Saint-Michel ended up in Normandy".

At times ancient romans Mont Saint-Michel was not yet an island. The gloomy uninhabited rock washed by the waves of the Atlantic was then called the Grave Hill - perhaps the Celts used this place for their burials. The Druids came here to worship the setting sun, and the Romans subsequently preserved this ritual for a long time. Dazzling legends were born in the rays of the luminary plunging into the sea: according to one of them, Julius Caesar was secretly buried on Mogilnaya Gora - in a golden coffin, in golden sandals ...

In the 5th century, part of the coast sank under water, Mogilnaya Gora turned into an island, separated from the mainland by an almost six-kilometer strip of sea. Only twice a day, at low tide, the sea exposed the muddy bottom and opened a dangerous passage to the island.

Mont-Saint-Michel's own history began in 708, when Archangel Michael appeared in a dream to one bishop from the town of Avranches and ordered to build a chapel on the Grave Hill. At first, Ober - that was the name of the bishop, later canonized - was seized with doubts: neither the first, nor even the second appearance of the archangel convinced him. For the third time, Archangel Michael, once again intruding into the peaceful sleep of the priest, was surrounded by a formidable and majestic radiance: repeating his previous order, he hit the indecisive Norman on the forehead with a radiant finger. Waking up from his sleep, Aubert felt a dent on his skull and, without hesitation, went to the Grave Hill.

Miracles accompanied the construction chapels. A huge boulder that occupied a platform on top of a mountain rolled down at the touch of a child's foot. The rocky island in the middle of the sea was deprived fresh water. But St. Aubert, who had already felt the miraculous touch of the archangel, struck his staff against a rock, and from under it scored healing spring. Yes, and Michael himself, surrounded by heavenly radiance, occasionally appeared to the builders on dark, stormy nights.

In 966 the first monks were replaced Benedictines who adhered to the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience to the abbot. The possessions of the monastery gradually increased thanks to the financial assistance of the lords of Normandy, Brittany, Italy and England. A huge church was built on top of the rock. In the hours free from prayer, the monks compiled, copied and studied manuscripts on literature, history and sciences.

Romanesque architecture reigned at that time. Its distinctive features are powerful columns and giant arches that supported the vaults and the skeleton. To strengthen the monastery walls, crypts-chapels were built on the slopes of the rock.

Since the Benedictine monks settled on Mont Saint-Michel, thousands of people began to come to the island to earn patronage Archangel Michael- the destroyer of the devil, protecting from evil. Many died in quicksand bays, drowned in tidal waves, never reaching their cherished goal. A legend is told about a woman who, in her last month of pregnancy, went alone to Mont Saint-Michel. Coming to the shore of the bay and seeing such a close and alluring silhouette of the Mountain ahead, she, succumbing to the illusion, went through the sands, but did not calculate her strength: the distance turned out to be too great. The tide has begun.

The wind increased, and foamy tongues of the rapidly approaching sea appeared from behind the Mountain. The woman realized that she was dying, lay down on the sand, preparing for death and begging the Virgin Mary for support. The roaring sea closed around her, but—oh, a miracle! - having formed a semblance of a water tower, the waves did not even touch the poor woman. Staying inside this wonderful "well", the woman gave birth to a boy and, when the sea subsided, she baptized her baby sea ​​water. The fishermen who went looking for the body were amazed to find her safe and sound with the baby in her arms. In memory of this miracle, which took place in 1011, Hildeber, then rector of the abbey, erected a huge cross in the bay. For a long time he towered among the sand and waves, until the sea swallowed him ...

The bay of Mont Saint-Michel has always been famous for its tides- the difference between the highest and the highest low levels sea ​​reaches here a record value of 15 meters. Due to shallow depths and a flat bottom, the sea retreats from the coast by 15-20 kilometers at low tide, but usually returns back at a walking speed of about 4 km / h, although, they say, in some places with a strong tailwind this speed can increase and up to 30 km/h. Legends about the tides chasing the rider, stories about wagons disappearing without a trace together with the horses in huge quicksands, descriptions of the terrible death of travelers dragged into wet sand - what is more in all this, truth or fiction?

The low tide in the bay always begins somehow unexpectedly: until recently, wherever you look, a whitish-muddy sea splashed, as sand of the same color appeared everywhere, the cunning of which almost all French classics were "hypnotized" - from Hugo to Maupassant. This sand seems quite harmless until you go down to its treacherously unsteady surface, covered in puddles from recently receded water. The fact is that the sand of the bay is more like silt, it is dense when it dries up, but when mixed with water, it turns into a viscous clay mass. The bottom is furrowed in many channels by rivers and streams - and it is they, apparently, that pose a real danger. Streams of water easily liquefy the sand, and in the beds (as well as under the beds), even small streams, those insidious quicksands that an overly arrogant traveler runs the risk of falling into. And although today near Mont Saint-Michel there are no longer such dramatic tides as before, few people risk going for a walk along the bottom of the bay without knowing the "schedule" of the sea.

For a thousand years, the tides have brought so much sand into the bay that coastline moved to the west almost 5 kilometers, coming close to Mont Saint-Michel. People completed this process by building a dam in 1879, on which cars now race. Today, Mont Saint-Michel is a real island only 2-3 times a year, when especially strong tides overwhelm the highway. Thanks to the dam, the number of people who annually visit Mont Saint-Michel exceeds 2.5 million, high-speed TGV trains bring day trippers here from Paris - but no more than a third rises to the very top of the Mountain, where the 11th century church and La Merveil monastery are located. all arrivals.

tradition of pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michel goes back to the time of St. Ober, but even today people go to the Mountain not only paying tribute to fashion - many try to stay here for a few days. In the evenings, when buses with tourists leave Mont-Saint-Michel, the Grand Rue leading upstairs becomes less busy, the halls of the monastery are empty. These late afternoons best time to get to know architectural ensemble Mont Saint Michel.

Since its founding, several catastrophes have tested the abbey's existence. In 922, it was struck by a fire, in 1103 the upper parts of the nave of the church collapsed, in 1203 the fire again tried to destroy the monastery. Other catastrophes have come from humans. The Hundred Years' War between France and England, along with the plague, devastated the lands. After the defeat of the French at Agincourt in 1415, Normandy passed to the British. In 1423, the island of Tombelin was besieged by the British. The siege of Saint-Michel began in 1424, when the British decided to capture the recalcitrant bastion, protected by walls and the sea, however, the attempts were unsuccessful. Troops were stationed along the perimeter of the bay, a small fort was built opposite Saint-Michel, and a flotilla blocked the island from the sea. Throughout the Hundred Years' War, Saint-Michel remained the only French territory in Normandy not captured by the British.

According to legend, Saint Michael helped the monastery survive, appearing to Joan of Arc and calling her to lead the salvation of France. The last attempt by the British to take the fortress in 1433 was unsuccessful, although a fire broke out in the city, wooden houses burned down and the walls were damaged.

The construction of the monastery church began in 1023 and lasted almost a century. The tower and nave, built in the Romanesque style, have retained their original appearance. The church rose high above the Mountain (though there was no usual spire on the tower) and was immediately attacked by lightning. Every 25-30 years, large fires broke out on the island. And after France annexed Normandy in 1204, the obstinate Mont Saint-Michel was set on fire by the will of the people.

The old abbey burned down completely, and in 1211 the French king Philip II, wanting, obviously, to atone for his sin before the Archangel Michael and his burned monastery, began the construction of the famous Abbey of La Merveil(translated as "miracle"). In just 17 years - an incredible period for that time - an architectural masterpiece was created, which is now considered a universally recognized example of medieval Gothic.

Striking in its size, La Merveil is built on a narrow rock and therefore, unlike other monasteries, has a vertical structure: it consists of two three-story sections. The eastern section, as conceived by the creators, was intended to satisfy bodily needs. On the first floor there was a hall for the poorest pilgrims, here they had to live and eat. Above them - in the guest room - the abbot received and regaled high-ranking persons, the third floor was a refectory for the monks. In the western section, the storeroom occupied the ground floor. The second housed the Knight's Hall, which, with its huge stoves, actually served to heat the monastery.

This hall, originally called the scriptorium, was intended for work with manuscripts, but it was too dark in it, so the monks carried out all manuscript work in the refectory, where even and clear light poured from unusually narrow, high and closely spaced windows. The third floor in the western wing was occupied by a covered gallery - a kind of "shelter of tranquility", intended both for reading and reflection, and for walks of the monastic brethren. The unique architecture of this gallery, as if hanging between heaven and earth, in the words of one of the chroniclers of the monastery, "allowed the Lord to descend to man without losing his greatness."

During the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), Mont Saint-Michel, which was never taken by the British, inspired the famous Joan of Arc to exploits, and after the war his fame went far beyond France. During this period, the inexplicable mass pilgrimages of children reached their peak. Abandoning their homes and parents, thousands of boys and girls aged 7 to 15 made their way to Mont Saint-Michel. The mysterious heavenly call collected them from all over Europe - from Poland and Flanders, Germany and Switzerland. They walked through France, lined up in a column of two, and chanted: “In the name of the Lord we march, we go to Saint-Michel!” Adults were afraid to disturb them. So, the father of one child, trying to stop him, exclaimed in his hearts: “I conjure in the name of the devil: come back home!” - and immediately fell dead. The mother of another juvenile "pilgrim", who tried to hold him by force, became dumb and deaf. Many children died on the way, froze from the cold - the parents were horrified and confused. Finally, the religious authorities began to condemn such exaltation, and one German theologian generally called the heavenly call that prompts children to pilgrimage "the voice of the devil."

At the beginning of the 16th century, the face of the city on the mountain changed. The viceroy of the French king completed the construction of fortifications. The entrance to the town was protected by the city gates, fortified with a moat, drawbridges and portcullises. Then the abbey became embroiled in religious wars. Protestants tried to take over. Knowing about the impregnability of the fortress, they decided to take it by cunning. Having disguised themselves as pilgrims, the Huguenots got inside, hid their weapons there and gave the watchmen to drink wine. The abbot, who revealed the intentions of the enemies, sounded the alarm, and the plan of the Protestants did not materialize. Over time, monastic life deteriorated, funds for the reconstruction of buildings became less and less. Later, the fortress turned into a sea prison, where the kings exiled recalcitrant aristocrats, priests, politicians.

In 1469, King Louis XI established the knightly order of the Archangel Michael, and in 1472 he placed an iron cage for especially dangerous criminals in one of the dampest cells of the monastery - the infernal invention of Cardinal Balu. The cage was a palisade of thick wooden rods bound with iron; it was hung on chains from the vault, so that with every movement of the prisoner, the cage began to sway. The unfortunate people who got into this cage had nothing to hope for - despite the efforts of the monks who sympathized with them, pretty soon they went crazy and died of hunger and cold. The cell regularly served the French kings for 300 years, one of the last to suffer in it was Victor Dubourg, a journalist convicted in 1745 for a pamphlet on Louis XV. Dubourg died a year after imprisonment, and in 1777 the terrible cage was finally destroyed. Under Napoleon, the monastery served as a state prison, and only in 1863 the prison was closed, and Mont Saint-Michel was declared national treasure.

During the era of the French Revolution, the Benedictine monks were expelled from the abbey of St. Michael, and the island began to be called "free mountain". In fact, the monastery was being plundered. Romanesque stained-glass windows were removed from here, and the abbey became just a prison that accepted political prisoners. The dungeon was abolished during the Second Empire, and in 1874 Saint-Michel became a "historical monument". From that moment on, new travelers began to come here - tourists. At the same time, the Benedictines arrived here, who founded new abbey. The restoration of the monastery began, the last important detail of its appearance Mont-Saint-Michel received in 1897 - the tower of the cathedral was crowned with a neo-Gothic spire and a 500-kilogram gilded figure of Michael the Archangel .. In 1900, construction began on a pier that opened the way to Saint-Michel. In 1965-1966 the monastery celebrated its millennium. In 1979, Saint-Michel was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mont Saint-Michel is visible from afar. Day and night the lonely silhouette of the Mountain bearing fabulous city, looms over the roofs of neat Norman houses. The spire directed to the sky is like the threatening finger of the Archangel. Perhaps he recalls that the spirit of Mont Saint-Michel remains as firm and impregnable as it was hundreds of years ago.

The return of the sea
The dam violated the tidal regime, adjusted by nature, and sections of the bay around Mont Saint-Michel began to fill with sand and silt. The former water meadows - polders - have long become a grassy shore, which has come close to the island. Herds of Norman sheep have already “besieged” the walls of the historical monument, which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In order to return Mont Saint-Michel to its former, fanned by legends, appearance, the construction of a tidal barrier has begun at the mouth of the Couenon River, which goes around the Mountain. The new dam will stop silt from entering the river at high tide and help carry it into the English Channel at low tide. Thus, the lands around the abbey, constantly under water, will gradually be cleared of sedimentary rocks. The expensive project is expected to be completed next year.
With fully open locks, the dam will be practically invisible. In the future, when the sea returns, the old access dam will be replaced by a footbridge, car traffic which will stop, and tourists wishing to visit historical monument, will be delivered to its territory on a special ferry.

Neighboring with Saint-Michel islet of Tombelin, translated from French meaning "small grave", at one time was a modest likeness of the neighboring abbey. A monastery and a chapel were built there, where the monks went in search of solitude. Gradually, it also turned into a fortress, in which, according to legend, the bride of King Arthur Helene died, but was later destroyed by order of Louis XIV. Today it is a deserted island.

Walk around Mont Saint-Michel

The buildings of the island consist of monastic and secular buildings. All buildings are surrounded by fortress walls with watchtowers built in the 15th century. This is evidence of the creation of the defensive system of the abbey. The towers, interconnected by sentinel paths, do not rise above the fortress walls, but are protected by them. Bombards were placed in horizontal loopholes - giant cannons of the late Middle Ages. At the top of the mountain there is a church, the construction of which began in the 11th century. The nave of the church was built in the Romanesque style, part of the cathedral was completed in the 15th century in the flamboyant Gothic style. The spire of the church is crowned with a golden figurine of the Archangel Michael. In the abbey, it is worth seeing the gallery for the walks of the monks, the hall of Aquilon, the apartments of Robert de Torigny. This abbot of the monastery ordered the construction of rooms overlooking the sea. Here he received guests, judged the monks.

An interesting monument is Church of Notre-Dame-sous-Terre, built in the middle of the tenth century, belonging to the pre-Roman period. Once it was in the open air, then its vaults were erected, then it was turned into a tomb. The Gothic part of La Merveille Abbey was built after the destruction of the 13th century to replace the monastic buildings of the Romanesque period. On the lower floor, food was distributed to the poor, on the second floor, in the living room, the abbot received influential visitors, and the refectory was located above. An excellent place for walking is the covered gallery - the last floor of La Merveya. This place is called the garden between sky and sea, as it overlooks the ocean. The arcades of the gallery are decorated with sculptures made of Caenese limestone.

Saint-Michel, like any old French city, has its coat of arms. The coat of arms of the abbey depicts a scattering of black shells intertwined with the fleur-de-lis of France. Shells are a reminder of the pilgrimage, as they were the hallmark of the pilgrims. The lilies speak of the guardianship of the monastery and the fortress by the king of France. Sometimes a wand and a miter were added for decoration, indicating the rank of an abbey, equated to a bishopric. Each abbot had his own personal family coat of arms, which was often depicted on the stained-glass windows of churches.

Monastery relics

The Abbey of Saint-Michel was famous for its relics - the golden statue of the Archangel Michael, for its precious old manuscripts. The collection includes 203 manuscripts, 199 of which belong to the Middle Ages. Over time, the collection has dwindled. During the collapse of the abbey library in 1300, some manuscripts were buried, while most of the relics were lost and looted during the French Revolution. In 1882, an unknown visitor in a cassock took away a 14th-century breviary. Today, twenty manuscripts are scattered around the world, for example, the Romanesque Bible in two volumes is in Bordeaux. 203 manuscripts make up the finest collection in Europe of the Romanesque era, being a monument to the art of calligraphy. Manuscripts were compiled in the scriptorium, a room in the abbey, in which the monks received knowledge not only in theology, but also in philosophy, law, history, medicine, music, and even astronomy. The heyday of the creation of manuscripts came in the XI century. However, soon, already in the XIII century, the decline began. The monks went to Paris to be educated, and the manuscripts they brought were compiled by secular people. The manuscripts of the monks of Saint-Michel, original and one of a kind, are rightfully considered world cultural heritage.

Bay nature

Many people come to Mont Saint-Michel not only to see the sights, learn the history of the monastery and admire beautiful view to the ocean and the continent from the walls of the abbey. A fascinating sight is the tide, the amplitude of which (or rather, the difference between the level of low tide and the level of high tide in a selected place) is considered the strongest on the entire European Atlantic coast. In a few hours sea ​​waves run several kilometers, and their speed is unbelievable. In order not to miss the hour of high tide, upon arrival in Saint-Michel, it is worth contacting the tourist office for help.

The bay is a unique nature reserve. Here, 10 thousand tons of mussels are grown annually, and vegetation occupies only 1% of its area, being, nevertheless, a pasture for 10 thousand sheep. Ducks and other birds feed on the fertile silt. In this area is installed " natural area ecological significance". The bay is a crossroads of migration routes, a kind of international transshipment point for ashy geese, black scoter ducks. 80 species of fish are born in the waters of the bay, as well as Risso dolphins, gray in color with small specks on their backs, the length of which reaches 3.5 meters. Every year about a dozen fur seals come here to breed their offspring. However, the picture is not so idyllic. Saint-Michel is in danger of finally merging with the continent, as the construction of polders for agriculture and animal husbandry greatly accelerates the advance of sand. In 1997, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin approved a program to restore the original surrounding landscape in the bay to stop the growth of the so-called natural prairie.

The French say that all roads lead to this marvel of architecture. From Paris, Saint-Michel can be reached by high-speed train TGV or by car to Rennes, then by road towards Dol-de-Bretagne. About a million tourists visit Saint-Michel every year, they come here by train, by car and by bus. The parking lot is small, and there are a lot of people who want to stop. Climbing the mountain, you can see thousands of cars and buses. Entrance to the territory of the monastery is paid, for children under 12 years old it is free. The monastery is open to visitors all year round, with the exception of some public holidays(January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11 and December 25). On Mount St. Michael there is a cafe, 25 souvenir shops and three museums - the Maritime Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of History. You can stop on the continent and in Saint-Michel itself.

Those who are struck by the view of Mount Saint-Michel during the day should stay here until dark. At night, the island becomes even more mysterious. It is said that the nights of Mount Saint-Michel are more beautiful than its days. The lines of sky, earth and sea merge, the landscape is illuminated by moonlight. During the day, you can appreciate the architectural and historical merits, at night - the spiritual ones. The excursion program also includes a night walk around the island.

To get to the abbey complex, you need to walk to the end of the Grande rue and then climb the stone stairs. Most of the premises can be explored on your own, but the ticket price includes an hour-long guided tour (in French and English). There are 5-6 excursions per day. The last one starts half an hour before closing.

The layout of the abbey is atypical. It was initially determined by the shape of the rock and the lack of building space. The monks were forced to place elements of the architectural complex one above the other. The top of this peculiar medieval "skyscraper" was the abbey church and a group of buildings La Mervey (Miracle). There were no building materials on the rock either. Stones and bricks were brought here by sea during high tides, and then dragged to the top with the help of ropes.

Having climbed the steep stairs to the entrance to the abbey, we find ourselves in guardroom (guardroom) where there are cash desks and information stands. Further, following the brown signs, we climb the Grand Degre stairs to the Sau-Gaultier terrace and then to the western terrace. She appeared in the 18th century. after a fire destroyed part of the abbey church. The terrace overlooks the bay, the island of Tomblen and the Chausey archipelago, where granite was taken to build the monastery. Every year on November 8 (St. Michael - autumn) from the terrace you can watch the sun set behind Mount Dol. According to legend, on this day Saint Michael fought a dragon there.

From here you can see well belfry spire(1867, Neo-Gothic, a copy of the bell tower of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris), crowned with a gilded figure of the Archangel Michael (sculptor Fremier).

abbey church(Eglise Abbatiale, XI century, mass daily at 12.15) built on top of a cliff at an altitude of 80 m above sea level. Its transept rests on rock, while the nave, choir and transepts are supported by the massive walls of the monastic structures below. The transept is oriented so that on May 8 (St. Michael - spring) the sun rises exactly behind the altar and moves across the sky along the main axis of the temple.

The Classicist façade was added in 1763. At the entrance, pay attention to the stone carved row of Mont Saint-Michel - 10 shells (scallops) and 3 royal lilies. The nave of the church is made in the Romanesque style, with the southern wall preserved from 1084, while the northern one was built after the nave collapsed in 1103. The vault of the nave was originally flat, and the modern wooden one was built in the 15th century. The place where the choir connects to the nave took its final form only in the 19th century: the dome of the middle cross (architect Petitgran) with a hole from where a ray of the sun falls on the altar at noon rests on four columns. The Romanesque choir collapsed in 1421, so in the 15th century a new choir was built in the flaming Gothic style in its place. The choir of the Rouen Abbey of Saint-Ouin was taken as the basis.

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From the gallery, a straight path, illuminated by lamps, led to the seventh gate. Behind them was the Upper Courtyard, the famous reservoir with a fountain and White Tower, built in 1900 by T.E. (rebuilt in 2698 T.E.), in which the palantir was kept. (With)

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Let's take a virtual walk around the castle! Click on the pictures below

Friends, we are overwhelmed with anticipation of the next meeting with you, because we have prepared a wonderful surprise today! An unforgettable spectacle awaits us - a real jousting tournament of medieval times, to which we go without delay so as not to miss the most interesting.

Journey to the Middle Ages

The knightly tournament in the castle of San Miguel (Spanish: Castillo de San Miguel) has a special place among the most popular evening performances in Tenerife. Tourists who were lucky enough to see the show with their own eyes unanimously declare that this is an amazing entertainment, impressive, first of all, with the original atmosphere of the Middle Ages. The castle itself is San Miguel de Abona, located in the southern town called Aldea Blanca (Spanish: Aldea Blanca). They say that it is a reduced copy of a real-life castle, but I have not yet found confirmation of this information. It was built specifically to host costumed performances for visitors and give them the opportunity to immerse themselves in the days of the legendary King Arthur with his faithful Knights of the Round Table.

Construction on a grand scale

An impressive building of 6 thousand square meters. m of light stone, 16-meter towers, an entrance with characteristic decorations in the form of armor, swords, shields, forged chests, massive gates, torches. It is unlikely that any of the visitors can not pay attention to the two riders dressed in knightly costumes and armor guarding the castle. The decoration inside the halls of the castle of San Miguel will leave no doubt that you have fallen into a mysterious past several centuries ago ...

Brave knights, dashing on horseback and excellently wielding swords, dressed up ladies, winning the hearts of dozens of brave men not only with their nobility and refined manners, but also with dazzling beauty. I think these are the pictures that your imagination draws when you think about the distant times of chivalrous courage. Let's pay tribute to the creators of the spectacular performance - they know how to attract modern viewers.

This is how guests are greeted at San Miguel Castle

Shine of armor

And now San Miguel appears before our eyes in the light of searchlights. Do not be surprised - the performance should be the most mysterious, so it takes place only in the evening. Before you had time to put on a cloak and put a crown on your head (albeit a cardboard one), then complement your outfit with these invariable attributes to look like representatives of the noble nobility, and hurry to say hello and take pictures with the magnificently dressed duke, young duchesses and their faithful subjects who greet you in the Armory. Then the procession goes to the Hall of Tournaments, reserved for a costume performance. In the hall you need to find a box where tourists gather in raincoats of the same color as yours, since you will have to cheer for the knight who corresponds to this particular color.

Heroes of the medieval show

How is the show

The show consists of equestrian and foot competitions, which end with the victory of only one of the participants. Then the queen of the tournament is elected, and the right of choice is given to the winner of the final battle. This is brief and without emotion, and now - a little more.

To arms!

We look at the sandy arena and look forward to the start of the knightly battle, when a very colorful figure of a black dwarf appears before us - the host of the tournament, and also a fire tamer, fearlessly sending burning torches into his mouth. In ordinary life, however, he loves football and comics (do not believe it, go to the gallery on the official website medievaladventure.com), and you will find a lot of interesting things there not only about him, but also about many other participants in the competition. The herald announces the beginning of the first part, in which there will be horse and foot battles and, of course, a demonstration of riding skills. It is breathtaking when the knights, lowering their visor, with a plume fluttering in the wind, on horseback, madly rush at each other to break spears or cross swords and, with a clang, began to prove to the enemy their superiority and courage.
The winner is given the right to choose the "lady of the heart", and she, in turn, gets the honorable opportunity to go to the duke's box and be present there until the end of the performance, and then sit at dinner in the most honorable place - among the first nobility of the castle.

By the way, throughout the show, guests will also be treated to medieval dishes: meat stew, baked potatoes, chicken, pork and dessert (pie, cake), and white or red wine is also offered in abundance. Massive wooden tables are served here exclusively with metal utensils, but there are no forks or spoons. Are you surprised? At that time, they ate and cut food with their hands, and there were no napkins then. Instead, they used the hair of a dog sitting next to them, or, at best, a tablecloth or a raincoat.

Your manners and upbringing do not allow such liberties? Quit when you still have to be in a completely different era and fully surrender to such sensations. So be it, if you really need it, then the waiter will still bring a spoon and a napkin, but I didn’t tell you this.

Six knights participate in the second part of the theatrical event, among which the guests will choose only one winner. How? In the manner of the Middle Ages: screams, screeches, whistles, the roar of empty wine glasses and plates - the louder the noise from the sector of the corresponding color, the more chances the participant has to be recognized as the winner.

Tickets and schedule

Ticket price for an adult visitor is 48 euros, for children - 24. To watch a joust in San Miguel, you can choose one of the days - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday - when the show takes place. It starts at 20.00, and if you arrive with a tour by bus, you will be at your hotel around midnight. A bit late for children, but as an exception, it is worth it to see a colorful and bright, completely realistic performance. By the way, on Thursdays, Russian-language accompaniment of the performance is provided.

Treat yourself to a piece of history

If you have long dreamed of decorating your home with knightly armor or antique-styled weapons, a wonderful shop located right there in the castle is at your service. You will be offered models of crossbows and swords, shields, helmets, gloves, and you can also purchase statuettes of knights, posters and a couple of T-shirts with the castle emblem or a DVD with a performance. Just take into account the dimensions and weight of possible souvenirs so as not to fly away, holding them under your arm - customs officers are unlikely to appreciate it.

There are also “licensed paparazzi” at your service on the castle grounds who took pictures while you were having fun. Of course, you can ignore their service and not take any of the photos offered to you.

Some Tips

• The most convenient is visiting the show with an organized tour, as you will be taken directly to the castle, and at the end of the show will be brought to the hotel. Yes, and a noisy company to attend such a spectacle is much more fun.
• Spacious car parks are available throughout the territory adjacent to the castle, which occupies a plot of 20 thousand square meters. m., this will not be a problem.
• Fans are allowed to make plenty of noise, supporting their knight. But throwing leftovers at the loser, as in medieval times, will no longer work - throwing any objects or food into the arena is strictly prohibited.
• Officially, photography is prohibited in the castle, but many tourists try to capture their favorite moments on their own.
• After the performance, you can visit the fiery flamenco show and dance to the rhythmic music in the ballroom. Suddenly, after drinking wine, you will have the strength to be active.
• The performance is very noisy and I recommend that you behave the same way. After all, this is a medieval tournament, and the knight whose support is the most noisy has a higher chance of winning. You can scream, knock dishes on the table, etc.
• Very young children will not appreciate the action and can simply be capricious from the noise, which will surely ruin your evening.
• Remember that this is not a real tournament, but just a show and in places it may not be the most believable. Make allowance for it and don't take it too seriously, wine usually helps a lot.

How to get to San Miguel Castle

The castle is away from hiking trails, and therefore it is impossible to get to it on foot, and it is difficult and inconvenient to take a public bus. It is best to visit in the company of an organized excursion - they will pick you up from the hotel, bring you back, and maybe there will also be a Russian-speaking escort. You can also get there by taxi, the cost of the road from Las Americas will be approximately 25–30 euros (if you get a taxi minibus, it’s quite inexpensive per person).

But, if you live in the south and still decide to go by car, then you need to go to the TF-1 highway and move along it towards the airport. Further, at the entrance to the town of Chafiras (Las Chafiras, not to be confused with the store of the same name, which is located there), you will need exit 24 towards San Miguel. As you see the sign - turn off and keep to the left lane (the right one will take you the wrong way). After following the signs to the ring and passing over the motorway, you will continue to move along the TF-65 without turning anywhere for about 3 kilometers to Aldea Blanca. There will already be a ring with signs to the left and in a couple of minutes you will be there. Back the same way.

In summary, I can say that this is definitely an interesting performance and a great alternative to a boring evening at the hotel. Drink, snack and watch the show - all in one set. If you have already been there, be sure to share your impressions in the comments, we are interested in your feedback. Who has not yet been, too, write, maybe we will make a company in the visit. And to all readers, a general request: subscribe to our blog. We do not send any uninteresting letters - only relevant and interesting articles about beauty canary islands and life in Tenerife. All you need to do is enter your email address in the field below. Each subscriber is an additional incentive to write more and more interesting. And soon there will be competitions 😉

Castle of Mont Saint Mchel. Review. One of the most amazing and interesting places in France it is Mont Saint-Michel, which is rightfully called the Seventh Wonder of the World. Even on our last trip to Loire river valley we, under the impression of visiting the most famous castles in France, vowed to visit this splendor on our next trip - the abbey and the castle Mont Saint Michel. This time we also traveled in a rented car, which we rented in Paris. Distance from Paris 350 km.

From our hotel to Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel we traveled four hours. This is taking into account the fact that we had breakfast on the way in some small village, because. We left early and were still sleeping in the hotel. They were there around 10 am. There were already plenty of people, but we still found a parking space near the Mont Saint-Michel castle without any problems. There is one "but". We knew in advance that the land around the castle, including one of some parking lots, was flooded with water twice a day. Exactly when this happens, we do not know. Therefore, we intuitively chose a parking spot on the road, which is higher than other places. In general, the ebbs and flows in this coast are a spectacle of unique beauty and many come here several times to enjoy the beauties of this natural phenomenon. For some, it is even a kind of show - to walk through the mud and manage to get stuck in it.

Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel in all its glory.

The castle itself looks like an island and is located at a distance of 6 kilometers from the mainland, and the entire area around is flooded at high tide. At low tide, numerous tourists rush to wander along the shore freed from water. True, the whole earth is damp and muddy, and it is better to walk barefoot, which is what everyone does. But there is one ambush here: after walking on clay and silt, you will have to wash your feet. Some smart people specially take a bottle of water with them and after such walks, sitting on the stones, they wash their legs with this water from the bottle. Not everyone knows that at the entrance to the monastery there is a place where you can freely wash your feet after a walk. Of course, in the cold season you can’t walk barefoot a lot.

Parking at the castle of Mont Saint Michel

If we recall astronomy, it becomes clear that the ebb and flow are due to the attraction of the moon. Twice a month they are high, 10 meters. And twice a year these tides are the most powerful and reach a height of about 15 meters. It occurs during the autumn and spring equinoxes. Water at the same time fills up to 15 kilometers of the coast. Those who get into the castle at such a high tide will be lucky. They say the sight is amazing. Sometimes, if a strong wind blows from the sea, a seething wave rushes to the castle at a speed of 20 km / h. So that after such a natural phenomenon “to stay with their own”, the car is put in the upper parking lot, i.e. on the very road. Buses are usually parked at the bottom, the drivers of which stay in them to sleep, and when the water begins to rise, they quickly dump where they are higher. True, such high water occurs only twice a year. For those "who are in the tank": there is a special valet in the parking lot who warns where it is better to park the car. If you go through the arch right after the bridge, you will reach a small square where there is a tourism office where you can buy a tide schedule.

Warning sign.

The tide schedule hangs in front of the entrance to the castle on the wall of the Royal Gate and there is also a special warning sign at the foot of the castle. At the same time, it is strongly not recommended to walk freely along the bottom of the bay during low tide. Of course, you can wander from the edge, but it’s better to go far in search of fish and shellfish with a guide who probably knows the tide schedule. At the beginning of spring, the sea recedes for 15 kilometers from the castle and then returns in the evening. The time between high tides is about six hours. True, as we were told, there has not been a single case of flooding recently, because. water does not arrive with such speed, as many guidebooks claim. You can always run away, but it's better not to risk it. Little whether that?

View of the coast from one of the observation decks of the Mont Saint-Michel castle. France.

In 1879, the construction of a 1.5 km long embankment leading to the castle was completed, along which cars now pass. Previously, the abbey could only be reached at low tide and through deep mud and silt.
You can also drive to the castle itself, but on condition that you have booked a hotel room there. We left the car in the upper parking lot and went sightseeing on foot. We did not dare to wander along the muddy shore. By the way, parking in front of the Mont Saint-Michel castle is free and there are paid ones, 4 euros for the whole day.

A bit of history.
Mont Saint-Michel (Mount Saint Michael) is a rocky granite island in the province of Normandy, 80 meters high and almost a kilometer in diameter, which houses an abbey with a magnificent castle. This most visited place in France was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

Castle of Mont Saint Michel. A photo.

The history of the abbey begins in 708 with the construction of a small chapel in honor of the Archangel Michael, highly revered in Christianity. This year, Archangel Michael appeared to the bishop of the coastal town of Avranches named Aubert. What Aubert thought about and what Michael later told him is unknown, but one thing is known that the archangel only “reached out” to the bishop the third time, and only after that Aubert ordered the construction of a chapel on the island. Apparently it didn't work the first time. So says the legend. What came out of this venture can be seen by visiting this unique castle.

Inside the castle.

During the construction of the chapel, miracles began to happen on the island. Either someone’s child, as if by accident, moved a huge stone with his foot, then in the morning a holy circle of dew formed, in the center of which it was decided to build a chapel, and in addition to everything, Saint Michael himself once again appeared to Ober and indicated the place of the source fresh water. There were many such miracles, which later served as the reason for the invasion of pilgrims with a desire to pray to St. Michael. Over time, due to the invasion of pilgrims, the idea arose to build a monastery on this site, and later a castle.

Fortified walls of the castle of Mont Saint Michel.

The abbey gradually turns into a center of pilgrimage and becomes the most influential and powerful abbey, while being well protected in case of attack by enemies. The monastery was built for almost 500 years and in the XIII century it was already a powerful defensive structure with high impregnable walls. The benefits of these walls affected during the Hundred Years War, when the British could not take the fortress of Mont Saint-Michel. By the way, this fortress has never been captured by anyone in its entire history of existence, which for believers has become a symbol of the inviolability of the Christian faith.

Inside the castle.

During the time of Napoleon, the castle was a prison for state criminals, and only after the overthrow of Napoleon, the abbey was declared a national treasure. On the very high tower The monastery was built a spire with a gilded figure of St. Michael. The spire can now be seen from afar.
If you have ever been to a Swiss Chillon Castle , then you will immediately feel a certain similarity of these places. The same manicured lawns, steep wooden stairs, the same austere and majestic walls, and the same scenic views from above, which are breathtaking. And this and that deserves admiration, but still the Mont Saint-Michel castle made a greater impression on us with its monumentality and grandeur. We have never seen anything like it before.
Inside the castle, you pass through the King's Gate along a narrow street. Now all kinds of souvenir shops and restaurants are located here. Abbots used to live in these houses. In these shops they sell all kinds of souvenirs on a medieval theme, all sorts of tablecloths, sculptures and knightly armor. There is a good pastry shop with cookies, honey and all kinds of sweets. There was an idea to buy and bring as a gift a medieval helmet to my boss, but I abandoned this idea in time. We did not find anything interesting, except for magnets.

Streets with shops. Very similar to European streets.

On the lower territory of the castle you can walk all day and all night. But the abbey itself is open until 23.00, but the entrance stops at 22.00. At night, the castle is illuminated by spotlights. In the summer, live music is played in the abbey in the evenings. What an amazing sight, it's a shame we didn't get to see it! If you are not very interested medieval history, then in fact, to inspect the entire castle with a lunch break, 5-6 hours are enough.
One of the oldest and most famous sights of Mont Saint-Michel is the Collegiate Church. True, many tourists are sure that the main attraction of the abbey is Mama Poulard's omelette restaurant ("La Mere Poulard"). We did not get into this restaurant for the simple reason that we did not know about its existence. And they did the right thing, as it turned out later. This restaurant serves only one dish - an omelette (lobster omelette), prepared according to a secret recipe from fresh eggs. Pular fed these omelettes to numerous pilgrims. As I understand it, the restaurant has its own chicken coop and the eggs are from there, from which the omelet is made. These eggs seem to be golden, because. An omelet costs 50 euros here. Basically, it's a tourist trap. The only good thing about this restaurant is the celebrity autographs on the walls.
The restaurant "La Mere Poulard" is located immediately at the entrance to the abbey, but we found it only at the exit. And in theory, they should immediately pay attention to it. And we dined at another small restaurant a little further. My advice to you is don't eat at the local abbey restaurants, it's a scam clean water. Firstly, prices are sky high, a cup of coffee is 5 euros, secondly, the quality of food - McDonald's is much more edible and, thirdly, there is no service. It is better to buy a couple of sandwiches in some street shop.

Restaurant "La Mere Poulard"

Post office in the abbey, from where you can send a postcard to yourself home.

Another no less famous monastery in the abbey is La Merveille. These two monasteries usually try to see all the tourists. By the way, the entrance to the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel for adults costs 8 euros, for children it's free. There is an audio guide, but it was not in Russian.
You can wander around the castle for hours, passing through the narrow old streets and looking into some narrow stone tunnel in the hope of finding something that other tourists have not seen before. You can climb the steep stairs to the most high point monastery and admire the opened panorama of the bay. And if you are lucky and you catch the moment of high tide, then this is generally the limit of desires. Just keep in mind that in cloudy weather in the monastery on open observation decks a piercing wind is blowing, and, going on the road, take care of warm clothes in advance, they will definitely come in handy.

We returned to the abbey parking lot at four o'clock in the evening, when it was already getting dark.
For the curious, there are several museums on the territory of the monastery. Among them is the Museum of History with a collection of medieval weapons and Maritime Museum with all sorts of marine creatures.
For thousands of years, people have sought to get into the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel. Previously, crowds of pilgrims hoped to receive a blessing here, but today crowds of tourists queue up for tickets for excursions.
Our dream came true, we were in the castle, as planned a year ago, and we do not regret it at all!
I apologize for the quality of the photos, which for some technical reasons were taken on a mobile phone.

On the border of two French counties, Brittany and Normandy, in the middle of the Cusnon River, there is an island-castle with huge rocky shores rising 80 meters above the water surface.

It is called, which translates into Russian from French as st michael mountain.

The legend of the castle island

Legend has it that the construction of Mont Saint-Michel, which was an abbey in the Middle Ages, was started by Aubert, the French archbishop, after in 709 the Archangel Michael himself appeared to him in a dream three times. The winged guest said that a fortress should be built on a rock that rises above the sea.

Twice Aubert did not listen to the angel, and Mont Saint-Michel would never have been built if the patience of the archangel had not ended. During the third visit, the heavenly messenger decided to reinforce his words with a flick on the forehead, during which the angel's sword burned through the priest's cassock. Ober considered such an argument weighty enough to overcome his laziness and fulfill Michael's request.

Pyramid in the ocean

Mont Saint-Michel was built by the Normans, contemporaries of William the Conqueror. The kings of all Europe, in search of paradise on earth, made pilgrimages to him. During the Hundred Years' War, the great castle did not surrender to the English conquerors for 30 years of siege.

Twice a year, on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, the water of the Kyusnon River rises to the level of the castle walls. The tide goes extremely fast, so that careless tourists have a chance not to have time to reach the fortress. The water turns the castle into an island connected to the mainland by a causeway.

Visited this magical place Victor Hugo, master of the pen and father of the "Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris”, considered being on the island architectural complex The “miracle” is the most beautiful in Europe, and Mont Saint-Michel himself was dubbed a pyramid in the ocean.

Visit to the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel

For several tens of centuries, people have been going to this place along the road called the “Path of Paradise”. They go not just like that, but to ask for help and consolation from the Archangel Michael.

If you are traveling on a tour package to Paris, then your tour operator can organize you a trip-excursion to the island of Mont Saint-Michel, but only for one day.

It is much better to go there on your own to wander through the medieval streets of this castle island, discover different hidden corners and imagine how history comes to life before your eyes ...

You will have to stay in a hotel with a comfort level of three stars, since there is no choice - there is only one hotel in the castle. And this hotel is also involved in history - after all, it was built in the sixteenth century.

Currently, Mont Saint-Michel is visited by crowds of tourists; in terms of its popularity, it has clearly eclipsed both Versailles and even Paris. It's no joke - more than three million people annually!

Not so long ago, restoration work was carried out on this island, and the top of the tower is decorated with a gilded statue of the Archangel Michael, the work of the famous sculptor Fremier.

Castle of Mont Saint-Michel - tourist attraction

There were troubled times in the history of Mont Saint-Michel Castle - at first it was a monastery, which was closed in 1790, and instead of a monastery, it was turned into a state prison for the most dangerous criminals and recidivists.

And for fifty years the castle was not a place of pilgrimage for people, but, as it was called, the “Provincial Bastille”.

But, fortunately, the authorities changed their minds, Mont Saint-Michel was restored, it was overhauled, after which tourists were again able to visit this beautiful place. But this happened only in one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.

Tourists will be interested to see the abbey, the Gothic complex of buildings "Miracle", the Grand staircase, which are located in the city of Mont Saint-Michel, Grand Rue Lane.

To get to the inner part of the island, which, by the way, consists of only one street - Rue Grande, you need to pass the Royal Gate.

Passing through them, you will see small, charming houses, standing close to each other on both sides of the street.

Previously, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, these houses were residential, but now you can find souvenir shops, shops or cafes there.

Most famous miracle the abbeys are the “Monastery Courtyard” that hangs between earth and sky.

It has six rooms, as well as a passage to the former refectory, which today is used as a place for various meetings, symposiums or banquets.

Participants of these celebrations can taste the monastery cider.

Stone buildings are fraught with age-old cold. Yes, and drafts do their job, so when going to the island of Mont Saint-Michel, you need to take warm clothes with you. It will definitely come in handy, especially for those who want to take a walk outside the castle, for example, walk around it.

Due to the proximity of the sea, there is a strong wind outside, so it is very easy to freeze, despite the fact that you only need to walk one kilometer to go around the castle.

Going for such a walk is allowed only at low tide, when you can walk on the sand, and only not alone. The soil of the island is such that there are voids in it, and if a leg gets stuck there, it will be impossible to get out on your own.

You will need to be sure to know the tide schedule if you plan to walk around the island. After all, water at high tide can rise fifteen meters!

The schedule, written in various languages, is on the board at the entrance to the city.

An interesting fact - if it seems to you that you have already seen the castle of Mont Saint-Michel somewhere, then you will be right - it was he who served as a model for the fortress of Minas Tirith, from the movie "The Lord of the Rings. Return of the King".

Access to the island itself is free for tourists, however, parking nearby is paid everywhere. Also, the entrance to the abbey is paid for adults, but for children it is free. And more, they are paid organized tours with a guide.

Time to visit:

• summer period, from nine in the morning to seven in the evening;
• winter period, from half past nine in the morning to six in the evening.