Random thoughts and photos of my journey through life…
Today’s weather gave an unexpected opportunity which allowed me to dine outside this evening. It was lovely to watch the sun setting behind ‘my oak tree’ whilst enjoying a few moments rest after work soaking up the atmosphere. I had the additional pleasure of watching the moon rising.
14 Comments CherryPie on Jun 27th 2012
2 Comments CherryPie on Jun 27th 2012
12 Comments CherryPie on Jun 26th 2012
The parish of Saint-Gimer was established in 1840 and when the succursal chapel was built it was felt that a larger building was needed. There were plans for the construction of aisles to the left and right, and to lengthen the building from 18m to 28m.
In 1848 it looked as if the chapel would collapse and in 1852 the commune and the parochial church council abandoned the reconstruction project deciding to build a new church. It was erected on the site of the ancient barbican, the remains of which can be seen behind the church. Eugène Viollet Le Duc drew the plans.
The construction began in 1852. The architect intended building a simple but functional church for 60 000 Francs. Due to the terrain major difficulties were encountered as soon as the foundations works began under the entrepreneur Magné. In 1854 Eugène Viollet-Le Duc, encountering opposition from the town, withdrew from the construction and asked Cals, the diocesan architect and his representative, to take over his plans.
In 1857 the town left the construction management to Monseigneur de la Bouillerie who, helped by the dynamic Abbot Bruel, battled to obtain funds and finish the construction. The church was completed in 1859 under the management of its designer Eugène Viollet Le Duc and was consecrated on 9 June.
The objects from the old church were transferred to the new church.
16 Comments CherryPie on Jun 25th 2012
PS: I am still struggling with my internet connection (even after the service provider rebooted everything today)… My connection worked perfectly until the service provider had a serious problem (which resulted in melt down last weekend), now my connection to the internet only works intermittently and only on some devices. Sadly my desk top PC seems to be one of the places the internet only works intermittently!!
Hopefully normal service will be resumed ASAP!!
8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 24th 2012
A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on labours of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give the same measure as I have recieved and am still receiving.
Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
6 Comments CherryPie on Jun 24th 2012
The walled city (La Cite) of Carcassonne was built on the site of a former Roman fortress. The city is protected by two heavily fortified walls and has no less than 52 towers and barbicans. In medieval times Simon de Montfort led crusades against the Albigensians (Cathars) whom the Catholic Church had branded as heretics due to their beliefs.
At that time that city and its inhabitants were under the protection of Raymond Trencavel, “Vicomte de Carcassonne”. The town surrounding the city was destroyed during these crusades and King Louis IV authorised the building of the Bastide on the left bank of the river Aude as a replacement.
When the Roussillon region became part of France in 1659 the city’s strategic importance as a border fortress declined, the inhabitants moved to the lower town and the city fell into disrepair. In 1844 the architect Viollet-le-Duc was put in charge of the restoration of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica and subsequently he undertook a study of all the city fortifications. This study was used as a basis for the restoration of the city and its fortifications.
The city then slightly came back to life: “I created, wrote Viollet-le-Duc, a construction with workers mostly chosen among the locals… Here, I have builders, stone-cutters, blacksmiths, carpenters, sculptors, all men are used to difficult tasks, all work near their homes, all are under my guidance.” Some of the Carcassonne workers, such as the sculptor Perrin or the architect Cals, were truly talented. From 1855 onwards, the restoration of the fortifications began. In 1879, at the death of Viollet-le-Duc, they were far from finished. His pupil, Boeswillwald, then the architect Nodet would complete the masters enterprise.*
In the past the work was often criticised as a romantic rather than entirely accurate restoration, although in recent times the work is looked on much more favourably and is listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
*Excerpt from Carcassonne History and Architecture by Jean-Pierre PANOUILLE
8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 23rd 2012
