Souvigny was one of the places I really wanted to see when we planned the trip to the Bourbonnais area, département de l'Allier. It was founded as a priory attached to the famous abbey at Cluny, to the west in Burgundy.
Here are just a few photos I took there. More to come. These are kind of abstract. I have some more, showing more of the church and the town, that I'll post over the next few days. Construction of the church in Souvigny started in the year 950.
We spent only about an hour walking around the town. Rain threatened, and a few drops fell. Tasha enjoyed the walk, I'm sure. We moved on.
Souvigny was made famous in the 1950s by supernatural phenomena (ghost monks) now widely accepted as a prank. I remember reading the account of events as a kid in an old issue of the "Historia" magazine and being terrified by it. These old, isolated rural regions of France lend themselves well to these stories.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Souvigny. What you showed of the church is very beautiful. I don't remember hearing about the prank JB is talking about, but for childrren ghosts are certainly very terrifying.
ReplyDeleteThose old doors are beautiful. I've really enjoyed seeing Le Puys with their vistas. I'm so glad that I got to see the Auvergne once upon a time.
ReplyDeleteIt's just amazing that these places were built so long ago--I'm imagining the people from then, looking at the same thing we are looking at.
ReplyDeleteDo you know what that iron piece on the door is all about? Is it a symbol of something?
I wish I knew.
DeleteNice Romanesque arches in the last photo. 950 AD is a long time ago.
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