Mont Saint Michel Island in France Attractions. Mont-Saint-Michel

Abbey Saint-Michel is one of the world-famous architectural monuments, it is even counted on the miracles of light. The reason for this is not the same as the architecture of the abbey, and its location and successful symbiosis of human activity and the natural cliff in the Gulf of La Mans, in Normandy.
The man did not always improve the nature of his intervention, here the centuries built the ensemble, turned out to be a good completion of what God created in the creative impulse. The silhouette of the mountain Saint-Michel (St. Archangel Michael) has already become a recognizable brand, and the inquisitive researchers assure that if they look at the mountain with abbey in the context, the ratio of human efforts with the Divine will not be different as a golden cross section.

The place itself, where the abbey is located the romantic mood. The cliff, the origin of which belongs to late Proterozoa, is located in Ba du Mont-Saint-Michel Bay at some distance from the coast, which created an obstacle for the enemy. It is possible that therefore she was chosen by people. Initially, the mountain was called Mont Tomb - the grave hill, and the neighboring, smaller island - Tomblen - the grave. It is possible that it was originally buried here, it is believed that the druids made their rites here. There is a legend that the islands have appeared thanks to the intervention of the characters of the book of Francois Rabl, the parents of the giant and the Gargazye and Gargazela and Gargamel. It was they who carried large stones in the sea, the father is more, the mother is smaller, for what purpose it is unclear, but they traveled and threw it where it is necessary. So it turned out a mountain diameter near a kilometer and a height of 78.8 meters.
Tides and foals occur here twice in the lunar day (24 hours of 50 minutes). These are the strongest rings on the coast of Europe and the second amplitude (after Fandy Bay) on the entire globe. In the days of the autumn-spring equinox, the water holds 8 hours in winter and 9 pm. Water can move away from Saint-Michel by 18 km, and spread to 20 km deep into the coast. The speed of the tide was compared with a gallop of a horse, but the comparison is exaggerated, so as usual tide goes at a speed of 6 with a little km per hour, and the horse runs three times faster.
Very high tide - 14 meters and the walled sands, in which the abyss could have created a natural barrier, but later the abbey was also still stone walls.

People mastered the mountain gradually. The first temple appeared here in the 7th century. Layouts in the abbey illustrate the stages of the building of the rock.

The first building - the chapel of St. Bay appeared in 708, there is a story recorded in the "Golden Legend" of the Dominican of Jacob of the Voorginsky, who collected various legends together. According to this legend, the bishop of Avrana Obuker appeared in the dream Archangel Mikhail and punished to build a chapel on Mount. The bishop did not believe at first the vision, but the Archangel appeared again to give instructions. Again, the obur did not return him words and for the third time I received an unequivocal hint - Archangel knocked him to finger on his head. According to another version, he is a sword risen. Curious, but the relics of Saint Berraist, which are stored in Avranche, this is confirmed - on the skull of the stubborn bishop decent dent.
Starting from the chapel built in the form of a grotto, reminded of where the first Archangel Michael appeared, the monastery grew up to the 16th century. He was attended by pilgrims, the first church rose on the mountain, built in the NOTRE Dame Sous Terre Caroling Epoch (underground Virgin) in the Dorusan style on the site of the Gota Berois.

The abbey was, despite the cut from the mainland, was rich story. The enemies flew and peak the story of these places. Vikings were sailed many times, in 933 Normans settled in these places. Canoniki on the island remained the only on the coast, who survived.
However, the Canonikov community was expelled by the Norman Duke Richard first. Monks accused of too free life. Richard went to the island of Bennedkintse monks, in 966, several dozen monks came here from the monastery of San Vandriya along with Abbot Mainer. In 1017, after the wedding with Judith, Breton Richard joined the neighboring duke to his possessions and, in the same year, Abbot Guilder began the construction of the central building of the monastery, which was launched until 1520.

The entire 13th century lasted the tense relationship between Normandy and Brittany, while in 1204 the French king of Philip Augustus seized Normandy, at that moment Bretons burned Mont-Saint-Michel.
It was not easy to have time for century of war, the British was deposited by the island from 1424 to 1434 without success, but the city was destroyed almost to the ground. From the middle of the 15th century, the abbey has become reborn and take pilgrims.

In 1470, the French king Louis 11th during his third pilgrimage trip to the monastery founded in honor of the defenders of the Island of St. Michael (FR: Ordre des Chevaliers de Saint-Michel), the residence of which is located in the abbey. (For a long time, this Order was the highest state award of France.) At the same time, stone cells were built here, in which the prisoner could neither stand in full growth nor sit down, and he was tried to a chain that ranked with each prisoner's movement. The island began to call the Mountain of Freedom ( MONT LIBRE.), there was up to one and a half hundred prisoners.
The mountain development went from top to bottom, unlike the painting of Bruegel "The Babylonian Tower", a spiral road, just as in the picture leads to her top, how to know, maybe Saint-Michel and was the prototype of the "Babylonian Tower"?

Wars prevented the construction, but in 1453 the rector of Wilhelm D, Estheville, who was at that time Bishop Rouen, began the construction of a new church in the Gothic style. The work ended in 1521. In the modern form, the church of the Abbey connects the medieval Romanesque dress and the choir already belonging to the new time.
After the collapse of the three spans of the neopa in 1776, a classic facade appeared.
After the prison is eliminated in 1863, the expenditures on the content of the abbey took over the state.

Abbey has repeatedly falls on manuscripts and even fell on the famous tapestry from Baye, created on the command of Queen Matilda, Wilhelm's wife of the conqueror. Tapestry dedicated to the battle of Hastings, imprinted the view of Mont-Saint-Michel as it looked then.

Another image can be seen in the beautiful character of the duke of Berry.

In many drawings, and later photographs of Mont-Saint-Michel remained at different stages of its existence.

The appearance of 1670.

Map 1703 years

Watercolor George Bouet 1848.

Familiar to us view with a pointed spire, the island acquired only at the end of the 19th century. The bell tower and a transpent, who were in a dilapidated form were rebuilt in 1892-1897 by Viktor Pedigran. Since then, the Church of the bell tower in the neoroman style and the neo-neo-spire, with the plated figure of the Archangel Michael installed at its end, simultaneously performing the role of a thunder.

On old photos, you can see the abbey without the usual spire.

In 1879, a connecting island was built with the mainland of the dam, it even walked along it, as can be considered on the old brand.

The dam is now thinking to disassemble because it spoils the bay ecology.
With the arrival of the era of photos, the abbey fell into the lens an infinite number of times

Mont-Saint-Michel visited a huge number of pilgrims during his existence, and tourists were added for the last century. If tourists used to be brought by boats, now on comfortable buses.

From parking on the mainland you can walk on foot, which is quite real, since it is not so far away, or getting on the horse.

It is said that you can fall into the eyelid sand, but many walk on the sand on the island at low tide.

People from all over the world come to Mont-Saint-Michel.

Let's go and we walk along the island-rock with a big story ...

To be continued.

Mont-Saint-Michel Castle and Abbey (Normandy Region)

Saint-Michel Castle is one of the most charming attractions France. Once Mon-Saint-Michel (Mont-Saint-Michel) was the center of the pilgrimage of the monks who dreamed of visiting here in order to worship Saint Michael.

However, not all righteous pilgrims-monks managed to get to the majestic 80-meter rock separated from sushi water during the tide.

Medieval pilgrims threatened death in zybuchi Sands or death from the rising tide. Many lives took the natural element. The first buildings appeared here in the VIII century. According to the legend, Bishop Automobile Ober in 708, at the order of Archangel, Mikhail erected a chapel on the rock, which was subsequently collapsed.

In the x century, Benedictine abbey was founded here, and in the XI century work began on the construction of a new Romanesque church. Gradually, new buildings were erected around it. During the centuries, they were repeatedly rebuilt in the romance and gothic styles, and around the abbey was created a fortification system.

In that religious place Before the revolution, when the buildings of the abbey were requested and turned into prison, more than 40 monks never lived. In 1966, exactly one thousand years after the founding of the Benedictine Monastery, Duke Richard I, the monks returned to Mont-Saint-Michel. And today there is a small monastic community, which follows the traditions established by Benedictine in 966.

For many years now saint-Michel Castle (Mountain) is not an island in the literal sense of the word. Today, Mont-Saint-Michel is connected to the mainland Dambia, which passes an asphalt road. Due to the dam, the hindering waves rise, the bay began to gradually pollute. In the near future it is planned to destroy the dam, in return to which will be built pedestrian bridge. This will make it possible not only to easily control the number of tourists, but also help prevent the bay pollution, while Mont-Saint-Michel will become, as before the island.

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

Mon-Saint-Michel Abbey is architectural ensemble, at the head of which there is a church, topped with a figure with the figure of Archangel Mikhail and the Gothic Monastery Complex, known since 1228 as "La Merville" (knights lounge, refectory, covered arcade and cellars). It can be seen from all points of the Strait, but it is worth only to approach how it begins to inspire the fear.

This is what Maupassan wrote about this: "I reached a big cliff, which stands a small town with an outstanding church. Lifting up the steep narrow street, I entered the most wonderful Gothic building, which was ever done for God on this earth. The building is as extensive as the city, full rooms with low ceilings and high galleries supported by columns.

I found myself in an amazing giant room of granite, which is so skillfully made that reminds lace work. Towers and slender bell tower, crowned with chimers, devils, fantastic animals and monstrous colors and the arched tangled network, rushed their tops high in the sky. "

SAMI high Point Mountains (Castle) Saint-Michel is below what is now a test of the church, where the transition from Gothic to Romanesque style is especially manifested in the neopa. To create the church in the traditional form of the cross, with a crypts, it was necessary to build on the hillside, and the entire design of the granite from the island Shoz was to fully comply with the relief. The space was limited, but the building grew over the centuries with architectural ingenuity, which is especially surprising by its geometry. The construction of the monastery began with a gloomy large hall.

It is not surprising that the building of the monastery is not particularly smoothness: the church, the choir, the nave and the tower were completed and reworked. Along with the architecture, the style of decoration was changing. IN epoch Middle Ages Walls of public premises, such as the refectory, were decorated with tapestries and frescoes, now you will see naked walls. To get an idea about the history of the development of the abbey, pay attention to its curious models at the entrance that the four different era reflect.

Other Island Saint-Michel

For the strengthening of abbey, you can penetrate the royal gates, which are removed to Grand Ryu. On its parties, souvenir shops with goods at high prices are rascid, which is the continuation of the ancient tradition to leave pilgrims without money.

Grand Ryu rests in a wide staircase with steep steps, leading up. On a memorable board, next to the stairs it is written that Francis I was presented here on May 8, 1532, and he was entrusted with the study of the Canadian coast. IN Marine Museum You will familiarize yourself with the underwater animals and floral world of the Cove of Saint-Michel, while in the Archeoscope you can take a journey through space and time in 15 minutes.

Behind the Cathedral of St. Peter XI century is the Museum of Grehens. Its expositions are devoted to the history of the monastery. Here you can see the scenes from the life of the previous times, recreated with wax figures. Both museums are open from February to mid-November. Huge crowds are going every day on the northern tower to look at the strait. Flocks of chaps, despite the late time, seed in the sand, but soon they will have to take off to the wind, fleeing from the arriving water.

Useful information about Castle and Abbey Saint-Michel

On the mountain Saint-Michel below at the entrance to the monastery there is a travel bureau. A regular bus service connects Mon-Saint-Michel with Pontorson railway stations, Rena and Saint-little . Despite the fact that the island is an amazing number of hotels and restaurants, they are still not enough to cope with the real influx of tourists. Obviously, most of these establishments offer expensive services, however, in almost every hotel there are still cheap rooms.

The most famous hotel La Mare Poulard. Here are preparing legendary omelets that Lion Trotsky enjoyed and Margaret Thatcher (at different times), than they justify their robbing rates. The cheapest option is Du Guesclin, where in each room there is a TV, and Crois Blanche hotels and Mouton Blanc meet high standards. Sadly, no restaurants It is worse than anywhere in France, and therefore recommended something rather difficult.

Additionally, it is worth noting that large hotels and motels lined up close to the island of the D-976 island, each of which has cafe or restaurant. Among them, Motel Vert, Hotel Formule Verte and Hotel De La Digue. There is even a three-star Camping Mont-Saint-Michel, which is also on the mainland near the road.

Most of the visitors of the mountain (Castle) Saint-Michel stop in Pontorson (Pontorson), which is located 6 kilometers from the island, and where the nearest railway station is located, from where regular buses come from to Mont-Saint-Michel. Hotels here do not differ something special, but, for example, in Montgomery, which occupies an old building, accused by ivy mansion (13 Rue du Cousenon), and in Bretagne (59 Rue du Cousenon) good restaurants. The newly renovated boarding house is located near the cathedral, 1 kilometer to the west from the station, in the center of Duceclene (21 Rue du General Patton).

Visiting Saint-Michel Castle

Access to the island of Saint-Michel is free and is not limited. For parking or on the highway, or in the territory that turns out to be under water during the tide, a fee of 5 € is charged. If you came here by car in summer, it is better to leave your car on the mainland somewhere near Saint-Michel and enjoy a walk (so you can avoid possible traffic jams).

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey is open daily: May-September 9.00-19.00, entrance until 18.00; October-April 9.30-18.00, enter until 17.00. Closed: December 25, January 1 and May 1. Standard ticket (9 €, for persons from 18 to 25 years - 6 €, for persons under 18 - a free ticket) gives you the right to visit all the available places of the island and join one of the excursions that are held in various languages \u200b\u200b(mid-June - mid-September excursion It lasts 45 minutes, mid-September - mid-June - 1 hour).

Daily excursion schedules are posted at the entrance. There are also more curses that last two hours, but only on french (July and August daily 10.30, 11.30, 14.00 and 16.00; September-June Saturday and Sunday 10.30 and 14.00; 5 € additionally).

Only in July and August, the Abbey Saint-Michel is open in the evenings. At this time, the visitor can take a walk in the gardens (Monday-Sunday 7.00-21.00; Login is free if you have a basic ticket, bought at any other time this day). Also, when musical and video equipment is updated in the abbey, it is possible to stay until midnight (Monday-Saturday is 21.00-00.00, the entrance to 10 €, for persons 13-24 years old - 7 €).

Mont-Saint-Michel - A small rocky island, turned into an island-fortress, on the north-west coast of France. This island is the only inhabited of the three granite formations of the Cove of Saint-Michel. The city on the island has existed since 709. Currently there are several dozen inhabitants. Since 1879, the island is connected by Dambia with the mainland. As a result of the activities of several generations of builders, a unique microcosm was created here, which reflects the evolution of minigration in the architectural forms from the time of the Middle Ages to the present. This natural historical complex is one of the most famous seats for visiting. Already in 1874, he became recognized historical monumentSince 1979, UNESCO was counted for the World Heritage of Humanity.
History of the castle
In the times of the 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 mountain - possibly the Celts used this place for their burials. Druids came here to worship the setting sun, and the Romans subsequently retained this ritual for a long time. In the rays of the dazzling legends in the sea, dazzling legends were born: according to one of them, Julius Caesar was secretly buried in the grave mountain - in the Golden Coffin, in golden sandals ...
In the V century, the part of the coast fell under the water, the grave mountain turned into an island separated from the mainland of the nearly six-kilometer strip of the sea. Only twice a day, in the sump, the sea has expanded or the bottom and opened a dangerous passage to the island.
Story Mont Saint-Michel Began in 708, when one bishop from the town of Avranus was in the dream Archangel Mikhail and commanded to build a chapel on the gravestone. At first, Ober - so called the bishop, later ranked sainted, - was covered by doubts: neither the first nor even the second phenomenon of Archangel was convinced. For the third time, Archangel Mikhail, again invaded the peaceful dream of the priest, was surrounded by a formidable and majestic radiance: repeating his previous order, he knocked out an indecisive Norman to rachish finger on his forehead. Waking up from sleep, Ober spoiled on the skull dent and, no longer thinking, went to the grave grief.
Miracles accompanied the construction of the chapel. A huge boulder who occupied the platform on the top of the mountain, rolled down from the touch of the child's feet. Stony island in the middle of the sea was deprived of fresh water. But the Holy Ober, who has already felt the miraculous touch of Archangel, hit the staff about the rock, and scored from her healing source. And Mikhail himself, surrounded by heavenly radiance, occasionally was builders of dark, thunderstorm nights.
Many gibbies in the Zybuchi sands of the bay, drowned in tidal waves, without coming to the cherished goal. Tell a legend about one woman who in the last month of pregnancy went alone to Mont Saint-Michel. Going to the coast of the bay and seeing such a close and mounted silhouette of the mountain ahead, she, yielding illusion, went through the sands, but did not calculate the strength: the distance was too large. Began tide. The wind intensified, because of the mountains appeared the foam languages \u200b\u200bquickly approaching the sea. The woman understood that he dies, lay down on the sand, prepared to death and begging the virgin Mary about support. The roaring sea closed around her, but - about a miracle! - Forming the semblance of the water tower, the waves did not even touch the poor woman. Staying inside this wonderful "well", the woman was resolved by the boy whom and when the sea was kicked, baptized her baby with sea water. Fishermen, who went to search for the body, were amazed, finding it whole and unharmed with a child in her arms. In memory of this miracle, which occurred in 1011, Guilder, then the abbey of abbey, installed a huge cross in the bay. For a long time, he touched in the middle of the sand and waves, until the sea swallowed him ... The Bay of Mont Saint-Michel was always famous for its tides - the difference between the highest and lowest levels of the sea reaches a record magnitude of 15 meters. Because of the small depths and the smooth bottom of the sea during the low tide retreats from the shore by 15-20 kilometers, it is usually returning to a pedestrian speed - about 4 km / h, although, they say, in some way with a strong passing wind, this speed can grow and up to 30 km / h. Legends about tides, catching riders, stories about carts, without a trace disappearing along with horses in huge zybun, describing the terrible death of travelers, tightened in wet sand. The tump in the bay always starts somehow unexpectedly: recently everywhere, where neither throw a look, splashed by the whores-muddy sea, how everywhere she fired the same color of the sand, which was "hypnotized" to the cunning of all French classics - from Hugo to Maupassant. This sand seems quite harmless until you descend on his treacherous, all in the puddles from the recently retreating water surface. The fact is that the sand of the bay is more similar to il, it is carnated, when dries, but, mixing with water, turns into a viscous clay mass.
The tradition of pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michel is rooted during the CV. Burue, but today, people go to the mountain not only giving tribute to fashion, "many try to stay here for a few days. In the evenings, when Mont Saint-Michel leave buses with tourists, Grand Ryu Street, leading up, becomes less busy, the monastery halls will be empty. These boning hours - the best time For acquaintance with the architectural ensemble of Mont Saint-Michel. The construction of the monastic church began in 1023 and continued almost a century. The tower and non-romance-style tower have retained the original appearance. The church rose high above the mountain and was immediately attacked by lightning. Every 25-30 years, large fires flashed on the island. And after in 1204, France joined Normandy to himself, the stroke Mont Saint-Michel was devoted to fire already by the will of people. The old abbey completely burned down, and in the 1211st French king of Philip II, wishing, obviously, to redeem his sin in front of Arkhangel Mikhail and his burned abode, began the construction of the famous abbey of La Merryvay. In just 17 years, the term incredible for that time - an architectural masterpiece was created, which is now considered a generally accepted model of medieval gothic.
On the first floor there was a hall for the poorest pilgrims, here they had to live and eat. Above them - in the guestroom for guests - Abbot took and pulled away high-ranking persons, the third floor was a refectory for monks. In the Western Section, the first floor was held by the storeroom. On the second there was a knightly hall, which with his huge furnaces actually served for heating the monastery. This hall, originally called the scriptorium, was intended for work with manuscripts, but it was too dark, so all the handwritten works of the monks were carried out in the meadow, where from unusually narrow, high and close windows lured smooth and clear light. The third floor in the West Wing occupied the covered gallery - a kind of "shelter of calm", intended for both reading and thought, and for walking by monastic brethren. The unique architecture of this gallery, as if hanging between the sky and the Earth, to express one of the chroniclers of the monastery, "allowed the Lord to descend to a person without losing her greatness."

During a century of war(1337-1453) Mont Saint-Michel, who was never taken by the British, inspired on the feats of the famous Jeanne D'Ark, and after the war, His glory came far beyond France. During this period, their peak has reached its peak, the difficult mass pilgrimages of children. Throwing at home and parents, thousands of boys and girls aged 7 to 15 years have headed to Mont Saint-Michel. Mysterious Heavenly Call collected them from all over Europe - from Poland and Flanders, Germany and Switzerland. In 1469, King Louis Xi established the Knight's Order of Archangel Mikhail, and in 1472 he posted an iron cell in one of the most raw cameras for especially dangerous criminals - the hell invention of cardinal bald. The cell was a frequency of thick wooden rods, hinge, it was suspended on the chains, so that with each movement, the cell prisoner began to swing. It was not necessary to hope to hope in this cell that - despite the efforts of the monks compassioned them, rather soon they went crazy and died from hunger and cold. The cell regularly served the French kings for 300 years, Viktor Durbur, a journalist, convicted in 1745 for a pamphlet on Louis XV suffered in one of the latter. Dibur died a year after imprisonment, and in the 1777th, a terrible cell was finally destroyed. With Napoleon, the monastery served as a state prison, and only in 1863 the prison was closed, and Mont Saint-Michel declared the national heritage. In 1897, the last important detail of his appearance of Mont-Michel received in 1897 - the Tower of the Cathedral was crowned with a neothetic spire and a 500-kilogram gold-plated figure of Mikhaila-Archangel.
History of Mont Saint-Michel Abbey
In 966, the Benedictine monks with the permission of the Pope are based on the abbey and the money of the Duke of Normandy Rishar I build a monastery. In 1017, the construction of the central monastery building began in 1017 by Abbot II, the construction of which was completely completed only after five centuries. Thanks to the work and faith of the Benedictine Monks, a simple chapel for this for a long time turned into a majestic abbey, built from the granite mined on the islands of the shale. At the beginning of the XIIth century, Abbot, Roger II, the construction of the tower on the northern slope is maintained, where the Knight's hall and the refectory are now included. At this time, the abbey is already one of the pilgrimage centers of Europe. The influence of the monastery is growing. In 1204, the King of France Philip Augustus captures Normandia. The ally of the French king Gi de Tour was captured and the settlement of the monastery was captured, as a result of the fire, the monastery itself was seriously injured. Philip Augustus to redeem his guilt, sacrifices the abbey of a huge amount, and also finances the construction of structures on the northern slope, subsequently called miracle. In 1128, the construction of a miracle was completed. Until the XIV century, the architecture of the monastery did not change. Abstract, replacing each other, gradually built up the island. A centenary war that broke out between England and France leads to the fact that the abbey is deprived of the income from its English possessions. In 1356, the British attempt to take the monastery, but the siege turned out to be unsuccessful. In 1386, Abbot Monastery Pierre Roa for security, significantly strengthens the entrance to the monastery, and also builds three towers. In the future, replaced Rua Abbot Robber Zololiv, builds fortress walls at the foot of the monastery. In 1469, the French king Louis XI establishes in the abbey of the Knight's Order of St. Michael. In 1523, the construction of Gothic choir begins. This year, the monks are deprived of the right to choose the abbot of the monastery. Now only the king is owned by this right. Appointed by the king, and not the clergy, the so-called "abbry" completely devoid of spirituality. This leads to the fact that the combination of the monastery is not consumed. All this deprives the monks of the desire to live in the monastery. The flow of pilgrims in the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel gradually dries. By 1580, only 13 monks live in the monastery. After fourteen years, the bell tower is completely destroyed from the lightning strike. Because of the small number of monks, the temple for decades and remains half the dilapidated.

In 1176, there happens again a fire that destroys the Romanesque entrance to the temple. The current system of choosing the abbot of the monastery continues to provide its destructive effect until 1870. During the Great French Revolution, the abbey is closed and transformed into prison. Monks are expelled, and all things from the monastery are sold. With the arrival of Napoleon III Mont Saint-Michel returns itself to the former glory, the prison is abolished, and the monastery is announced by the national heritage of France. Work begins to restore it. The famous abbey of Mont Saint-Michel personifies the whole medieval history France. After the French revolution, the Abbey of the Benedictians served as a prison, and today there are tens of thousands of tourists. She climbed on a small rocky island on the north-west coast of France and the associated Dambia with the mainland, Mont Saint-Michel since 1979 was recognized as a monument of world importance. The island abbatry topped with the spilling is striking. During the tide (and here the highest - up to 10 m - tide in Europe) water arrives at a speed of 20 km / h, and the fortress can be rejected on a high rock (78 m) only by boats. You can simply go around the land, without even sleeping the legs. The abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is one of the main attractions of France and the real pride of Normandy Province.
In the X century, Benedictines from St. Vandria moved to Mont Saint-Michel. And up to the XVI century, built, built, built. The funds were the island of Miracle of St. Michael became one of the most popular pilgrimage places. Such is also soy. One of the special places in Christianity is the image of St. Michael. This is not just an archangel, but a warrior and an intercessor. He accompanies the souls of the righteous to Heavenly Jerusalem, helps them on the way and protects against adopter demons. In addition, it was he, according to the Apocalypse, should stand at the head of the heavenly military in the last battle of good with evil. According to the biblical legend, Archangel Mikhail fought with Satan in the image of the dragon and plunged him into the bunch of waters. The battle ended on the mountain, which was later named after the Mountain Mikhail. It is probably why Saint Michael traditionally devoted to the temples standing high in the mountains. According to the same principle, the famous Mon-Saint-Michel Abbey, which is located on a small (about 900 meters in the circumference) of the Rockal Island with the same name and to which was destined to become one of the main pilgrim centers of medieval Europe.
In the 18th century, the abbey was declining, and during the French revolution was closed. Since Napoleon I until 1863, Mont Saint-Michel was a state prison, and then declared a historical monument and was restored. Now Mont Saint-Michel is one of the main tourist centers of France. Over the past century, the sea retreated and now most of the time of Mont Saint-Michel is surrounded by bulk sands, and only during high tides it becomes an island. Such tides are observed here in the period of autumn and spring equinox - per day, the water level rises 10 meters - these are the strongest tides in France, and during the low tide the sea leaves 25 kilometers from the coast. Now the dam and the island with the mainland connects the highway, making it comfortable for visits.

Myths and Facts
Unlike other castles of France, which were raised as defensive structures, or for the pleasure of nobility, Mont-Saint-Michel is based as a monastery. His story began with the legend: in 708, Archangel Mikhail appeared in the vision of the bishop of Avranha, the Holy Opera and ordered to build a temple on a rock. But the bishop was not sure that the sign was correctly interpreted, and decided to wait. And only after the Archangel came to him for the third time and in the proof he burned him a hole on his head on his finger, the bishop did not doubt more and began to build. Today, from the initial church in the form of a grotto, depicting a cave in which there was a phenomenon of St. Mikhail, nothing has been preserved, with the exception of one wall, and the Saint Bulk Skull is now stored in Basilica Avransh. During the two centuries, the legendary island attracted pilgrims and soon became known all over the kingdom. Fearing such popularity of the Canonik community, Duke of Normandy Richard I expelled them, replacing the Benedictine Monks in 966. Benedictins were good builders. To accommodate pilgrims at the foot of the abbey, they built a small town, and on top of the cliff, thanks to numerous donations, built a large temple with surrounding buildings. By the XIII century, hundreds of monks lived in Mont-Saint-Michel. 119 Knights of the monastery successfully opposed England, when most of the Western France fell during the century of war.
Interesting Facts:
- In 1874, Mixed Michel was recognized as state historical monument.
- In 1972, UNESCO made Move Saint Michel to the list of world heritage sites.
"The French consider Mont Saint-Michel and his bay" the eighth miracle of the world ", and the Europeans are" a miracle of Western Europe. "
- When the sampling comes, you can get around the mountain of Saint-Michel, but it is necessary to abide by caution and should not be far away from the foot of the mountain - the probability of the sand is great.
- Mont Saint-Michel's castle was the prototype of Minas Tyrit fortress in the popular film "The Lord of the Rings".
- In our time, Mont Saint-Michel becomes an island only 2 times a year. This is due to the fact that in the last century the sea has moved away - now most of the time the castle is surrounded by sands, but 2 times a year (during autumn and spring equinels) during strong tides it becomes

Mont Saint-Michel(Mont Saint-Michel) or Mount Archangel Mikhail is a small rocky fortress, on the north-west coast of France. This island is the only inhabited of the three Isles of the Cove of Saint-Michel. The city has been built on the island, which has existed since 709.

Mont-Michel Abbey Castle is one of ten!

Mont Saint-Michel Plan:

• Abbey

• Miracle Construction

• Town

• Trouble terrace

The main attraction of the French province of Normandy is mont Saint-Michel Abbey, towering over the huge sandy bay. From time immemorial to this abbey, a huge number of pilgrims from all over Europe was glazed, in order to come in touch with the shrines.

The history of Mont Saint-Michel abbey began with a chapel, which was erected on the granite rock-island in 708 by the Bishop of Avranus Saint-Ober.

Currently, there are about hundreds of residents. In 1879, the island tied the Dambia of 2 km long with the mainland. Mount Mont Saint-Michelit is a granite formation with a diameter of 930 m and a height of 92 m, which is located at the mouth of the Küsnon River. Each 24 hours and 50 minutes in the bay are tested and lowers, the strongest in Europe. Water can move away from Saint-Michel by 18 km, and spread to 20 km deep into the coast. The island is completely surrounded into the tide, and the sands surround the mountain into the sump. The height of the tide reaches 14 meters.

Mount Mont Saint-Michel It is a granite formation with a diameter of 930 m and a height of 92 m located at the mouth of the Küsnon River. Here is the highest tide in Europe, before. 14 m. In the tide is the island is completely surrounded by water, approaching the most walls. In the sump mountain surround the sands.

From the south side, the lower part of the mountain occupies a city surrounded by a fortress wall of 15 V.

The entrance to the city protects the gate and barbacan system. Through the external gate, the incoming enters the external barbican, then through the boulevard gate to the next barbican, which is the name of the boulevard. Further, the moat is a large royal gate with arched passage and lifting bridge. Near the main gate is a narrow gate having a lifting bridge. The bridge is raised by the lever mechanism of the type. To the royal gate, flanking them, adjoins the round royal tower, the first tower of the outer wall. The outer wall, flanked by nine towers, rises along the slope of the mountain to the abbey, completes its Klodin tower.

Inside the wall on the slope is a city consisting of almost one narrow street.

Before entering the abbey, there is a protective barbican, surrounded by a toothed wall with two gates. Some gates are located on the side of the city road, others go to a narrow pediatric terrace, a convent of the monastery from the north and ending the way out on the road through a narrow door in the Klodin Tower.

Above the barbacan is dominated by a high multi-faceted tower of raven and dual round towers of the main gate of abbey. Behind the gates there is a large vaulted hall of the guard, from which a large staircase runs on the upper terrace, passing between the lower floors of the Temple Building and the residential premises of the abbey.

The core of the abbey consists of two parts - the temple with the premises located under it and the so-called. A miracle, a three-story, strengthened counterphorts of the tower adjacent to the temple from the north.

The temple is mostly romance, but the choir was built only in 16 century. On the site of the collapsed in 1421. So that he does not repeat the fate of his predecessor, the crypt of large columns was built. Its 10 columns with a diameter of 5 m hold a new choir.

The top floor of a miracle occupy the courtyard with a colonnade and vaulted refrapping on the perimeter.

Under the meadow, there is a large guest room with two huge fireplaces in the end of the hall and another fireplace in the center of the inner wall. In this hall they took noble visitors. Next to him, under the courtyard, so-called. Knight's hall, which received this name for its splendor. The castle decorate numerous carved columns. This room served as a place of work of the monks, here were engaged in the penis.

Under the guest hall was the allest, and Knight's storage facilities. Under the temple there are numerous crypts and chapels. The total number of premises of the abbey exceeds 50. They are interconnected by numerous stairs and corridors.

History of Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

In 966, the Benedictine monks with the permission of the Pope are based on the abbey and the money of the Duke of Normandy Rishar I build a monastery. In 1017, the construction of the central monastery building began in 1017 by Abbot II, the construction of which was completely completed only after five centuries.

Thanks to the work and faith of the Benedictine Monks, a simple chapel for this for a long time turned into a majestic abbey, built from the granite mined on the islands of the shale.

At the beginning of the XIIth century, Abbot, Roger II, the construction of the tower on the northern slope is maintained, where the Knight's hall and the refectory are now included. At this time, the abbey is already one of the pilgrimage centers of Europe. The influence of the monastery is growing. Abbey takes the English and French kings, he was given several possessions in England.

In 1204, the King of France Philip Augustus captures Normandia. The ally of the French king Gi de Tour was captured and the settlement of the monastery was captured, as a result of the fire, the monastery itself was seriously injured. Philip Augustus to redeem his guilt, sacrifices the abbey of a huge amount, and also finances the construction of structures on the northern slope, subsequently called miracle. In 1128, the construction of a miracle was completed.

Until the XIV century, the monastery did not change. Abstract, replacing each other, gradually built up the island. A centenary war that broke out between England and France leads to the fact that the abbey is deprived of the income from its English possessions.

In 1356, the British attempt to take the monastery, but the siege turned out to be unsuccessful. In 1386, Abbot Monastery Pierre Roa for security, significantly strengthens the entrance to the monastery, and also builds three towers. In the future, replaced Rua Abbot Robber Zololiv, builds fortress walls at the foot of the monastery.

During the century of war in 1424, the British again besieged the monastery. For ten years, suffering huge losses, they were trying to sleep outside the castle walls. But the French defended Abbey. The British never managed to take the island, but they completely destroyed the town, formed over the past century at the foundation of the monastery. In 1450, the British suffer defeat in the battle of Formigny and they are expelled from Normandy.

In 1469, the French king Louis XI establishes in the abbey of the Knight's Order of St. Michael. In 1523, the construction of Gothic choir begins. This year, the monks are deprived of the right to choose the abbot of the monastery. Now only the king is owned by this right. Appointed by the king, and not the clergy, the so-called "abbry" completely devoid of spirituality. This leads to the fact that the combination of the monastery is not consumed. All this deprives the monks of the desire to live in the monastery. Flow pilgrims B. mont Saint-Michel Abbey Gradually dries. By 1580, only 13 monks live in the monastery. After fourteen years, the bell tower is completely destroyed from the lightning strike. Because of the small number of monks, the temple for decades and remains half the dilapidated. In 1662, the monks are replaced by nine Benedictine from the Saint-Maur Congregation in the abbey.

In 1176, there happens again a fire that destroys the Romanesque entrance to the temple. The current system of choosing the abbot of the monastery continues to provide its destructive effect until 1870. During the Great French Revolution, the abbey is closed and transformed into prison. Monks are expelled, and all things from the monastery are sold.

With the arrival of Napoleon III Mont Saint-Michel Returns itself to the former glory, the prison is abolished, and the monastery is announced by the national heritage of France. Work begins to restore it.

The middle of the 20th century is marked by the return of monks on a rocky island. In 1979, the abbey is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The French themselves believe Mont Saint-Michel "The eighth miracle of the world." Existing and now mont Saint-Michel Abbey, which became a real fortress, surprisingly combining military and religious architecture in himself, rightfully deserves this title.

Today, this is an ancient abbey, stunning with its greatness and splendor of the environment, takes about three million tourists per year.

In contemporary art, Mont-Saint-Michel served as a prototype of Minas Tyrit fortress in the cult trilogy "Lord of the Rings" Peter Jackson on the book of Professor J. R. R. Tolkina. The famous English composer M. Olfried, fascinated by the gloomy beauty of the island, dedicated to him the composition of the same name in the album "Voyager". It was this island that tried to save fraudsters from the French comedy "incorrigible" from their enemies.

The famous abbey of Mont Saint-Michel personifies the entire medieval history of France. After the French revolution, the Abbey of the Benedictians served as a prison, and today there are tens of thousands of tourists. She climbed on a small rocky island on the north-west coast of France and the bound by the Dambia with the mainland, Mont Saint-Michel Since 1979, a world importance is recognized as a monument.

The island abbatry topped with the spilling is striking. During the tide (and here the highest - up to 10 m - tide in Europe) water arrives at a speed of 20 km / h, and the fortress can be rejected on a high rock (78 m) only by boats. You can simply go around the land, without even sleeping the legs. Mont Saint-Michel Abbey - This is one of the main attractions of France and the real pride of the province of Normandy.

By attendance mont Saint-Michel Abbey It may compete with the Eiffel Tower itself - more than 3.5 million people visits him annually. The small is a whole kilometer in diameter and eighty meters above sea level - the island is connected to the mainland during the low tide, and during the tide, perhaps the highest in the world is completely surrounded by the sea.

At the clock, the pilgrims traveled to the abbey of the seabed. Now for convenience, Damb was built - surreally thin, like a stretched string. And how otherwise, if in a tiny town, where at the foot of the Gothic Monastery lives only 138 people, many thousands seek to get. To wander without tired among the unreal, vertically-oblique stone labyrinth of museums and temples, looking for all new delightful corners.

The legend states that the bishop of the Avranshsky wrap in a dream appeared Archangel Mikhail himself and commanded the church on the rocky island. The skeptical clicher was not inclined to trust his dreams, and then the angry Archangel touched the monk to the finger (the power of the wage and now stored in autolish, they say the dent in the skull is very solid). The stimulus has worked. In the place where the grotto discovered on Mount Bishop, he commanded to build a basilica.

In the X century on Mont Saint-Michel Benedictine from St. Vandria moved. And up to the XVI century, built, built, built. The funds were the island of Miracle of St. Michael became one of the most popular pilgrimage places. Such is also soy.

One of the special places in Christianity is the image of St. Michael. This is not just an archangel, but a warrior and an intercessor. He accompanies the souls of the righteous to Heavenly Jerusalem, helps them on the way and protects against adopter demons. In addition, it was he, according to the Apocalypse, should stand at the head of the heavenly military in the last battle of good with evil. According to the biblical legend, Archangel Mikhail fought with Satan in the image of the dragon and plunged him into the bunch of waters. The battle ended on the mountain, which was later named after the Mountain Mikhail. It is probably why Saint Michael traditionally devoted to the temples standing high in the mountains. According to the same principle, the famous Mon-Saint-Michel Abbey, which is located on a small (about 900 meters in the circumference) of the Rockal Island with the same name and to which was destined to become one of the main pilgrim centers of medieval Europe.

With the emergence of abbey is a beautiful legend. In 708, the city of Avrange, located in the north of Brittany, near her borders with Normandy, was managed by the bishop of the Ober. Once at night, the Bishop was heard by the voice of St. Michael, who demanded that he was dedicated to the Raly-Islands, located next to the city and separated by the sea shed.

Ober did nothing, believing that he was misled with his visions. Archangel several times was a bishop, predicting the wonders that he would commit in order to strengthen Christians in their faith and convince the bishop. For example, one of the wonderful acts of Archangel became a flying bull, which was then found on top of the rock. The Archangel was impatient from the inaction of the bishop and at his next visit immersed his finger in the oborce skull, finally, convincing that the bishop skull with the correct rounded hole is still kept in the glass cube in the abbey).

After that, Bishop Ober, as Mikhail demanded, sent his people to Italy, in Monte Gorgano - as it was believed that the Holy Angel in Rome and Mount Monte Gorgano on a rocky island in Adriatic are traditional places of appearance of Archangel. They returned and brought sacred relics - a piece of red apparel, which was on the Archangel during one of his phenomena and a fragment of the sacrificial stone, which he put his leg.

At their return, Ober began the construction of a chapel on Mont Tomb (the initial name of the island). The work of people was facilitated by the interference of the Divine Forces - for example, a large stone that prevented construction was turned out to be a light touch of the child; On the mountain there was a lack of drinking water - a miracle helped to find the source of the life-giving moisture, which was then received the name of the fountain of St. Bersera. Thus, the Ober has been equipped on a rocky island, which gradually became called the mountain of St. Michael to devote himself to serving God and his Archangel.

In 966, the Duke of Normandy handed over the island of the Order of the Benedictine Monks, who founded mont Saint-Michel Abbey. Construction on the island was carried out up to the 19th century, turning gradually the island into a small town. The wonderful gothic architectural ensemble of Abbey grows the beautiful church, located on the top of the island, at an altitude of about 90 meters above sea level. It was erected on three crypts, the oldest of which applies to the times of Carroling.

The impressive reservoir of the building was built in the 11th century in the Romanesque style, and his eastern altar part (choir) was rebuilt in the style of the flaming Gothic in 1450-1521. Paul of the church is on the same level with the third floor of the monastic buildings adjacent to it, which gives the construction of a harsh and impregnable stronghold. The tower and spire, crowned with the Statue of St. Michael, belong to a later period - they are built in the 19th century.

The outer walls of the beautiful Gothic monastery of La Merville, which means "miracle" (13th century), combine the power of the fortress and the simplicity of church architecture. The monastery decorate the double rows of columns that support the fitted arches with a wonderful flower ornament, a huge number of sculptures. The most remarkable part of the building is the refectory with high narrow windows and a romantic romantic lounge, which gathered proud defenders of the fortress. Below the monastery buildings are grouped residential buildings, some of which relate to the 15th century. Through the island, the only street existing here is, and most of the buildings are combined with complex internal transitions and steep stairs.

The monastery in the 13th century is extremely difficult to reach the monastery in the 13th century. It was additionally acquainted with a powerful defensive walls with round towers and protrusions and with the only fortress gate.

Due to this, the abbey safely withstood the siege during the time of century of war between England and France in the 14th and 15th centuries and during the French religious wars in the second half of the 16th century.

In the 18th century, the abbey was declining, and during the French revolution was closed. Since Napoleon I until 1863 Mont Saint-Michel He was a state prison, and then was declared a historical monument and was restored. Now Mont Saint-Michel It is one of the main tourist centers of France.

Over the past century, the sea retreated and now most of the time Mont Saint-Michel Surrounded by bulk sands, and only during high tides it becomes an island. Such tides are observed here in the period of autumn and spring equinox - per day, the water level rises 10 meters - these are the strongest tides in France, and during the low tide the sea leaves 25 kilometers from the coast. Now the dam and the island with the mainland connects the highway, making it comfortable for visits.

And as a result of changing the outlines of the shores, extensive areas appeared, which water left finally. This soil salted soil gradually threw the grass, which came to the taste of the sheep. The meat of bodied here sheep contains an excess salt and has a special taste - it is almost immediately suitable for use, their wool also has special properties - things made from this wool are very fluffy.

• In 1874, Mixed Michel was recognized as government historical monument.
• In 1972, UNESCO made Move Saint Michel to the list of world heritage sites.
• The French consider Mont Saint-Michel and his bay "the eighth miracle of the world", and the Europeans - the "miracle of Western Europe".
• When the tump comes, you can get around the mountain of Saint-Michel around the mountain, but it is necessary to observe care and should not be far away from the foot of the mountain - the probability of the sand is great.
• Mont-Michel's castle is the prototype of Minas Tyrit fortresses in the popular film "The Lord of the Rings".
• Nowadays Mont Saint-Michel It becomes an island only 2 times a year. This is due to the fact that in the last century the sea has moved away - now most of the time the castle is surrounded by sands, but 2 times a year (during autumn and spring equinels) during strong tides it becomes

Abbey Mont-Saint-Michel is an architectural miracle of France. This object is included in the list. World Heritage UNESCO. A unique monument of nature and architecture is a city built on a rock, which is located in a small bay. During the tides, the Mon-Saint-Michel Abbey is cut off from the Big Earth.

Ancient architecture has been preserved on the island, despite numerous siege, which he had a chance to survive for 1500 years of its existence. Chapels and fortress walls are of great interest not only with historical, but also from an engineering point of view. Because impregnable rocks in the Middle Ages were almost always cut off from sushi high seasy wavesTherefore, the ancient builders had to overcome the nature itself and show the wonders of ingenuity to build this unique complex.

Opinion expert

Knyazeva Victoria

Guide for Paris and France

Today, France considers Mont-Saint-Michel's abbey one of the main tourist facilities of the country. This is the second attendance city in the state after Paris. His population is less than 100 people, but annually the monastery and surrounding areas visit up to 3.5 million tourists from different corners World.

general information

Mon-Saint-Michel Island on the map Finding simply. It is located 285 km north-west of Paris, in the province of Normandy, almost on the border with Breton. The city on the rock surrounds a small bay, against the background of which he rises more than 70 m. The bay seems to be squeezed by the mountain from 2 sides, cutting it off from a flat sushi.

Twice in the lunar day, which make up 24 hours 50 minutes, you can observe a wonderful picture, as sea water retreats, exposing the foot of the mountains and creating a natural passage to the island on the sandy bottom, and then again floats it.

However, it is not recommended to walk in these places. This is only possible when accompanied by a certified guide. Such tough rules are explained by the fact that the bay has an unstable bottom. In some places it is formed by Zybuchi sand.

In addition, the schedule of tides and tides should be carefully learned. After all, after a few hours, the water will begin to arrive to the rocks at the speed of a horse, which is galloping. The wave height can at the same time reach 14 m. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe Mont-Saint-Michel Castle, the tide is considered the most powerful throughout Europe. Therefore, it is better to observe this amazing natural phenomenon at a safe distance.