Monday, April 16, 2012

Transept door

This is the door on the south end of the church's transept in Saint-Aignan. I've never seen it open or even used; the main entrance on the church's eastern end is always open. This romanesque/early gothic building was built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries over the foundations of a much older church.

The south entrance to Saint-Aignan's church.

The building's arches are all rounded as opposed to pointed, a characteristic of romanesque construction. But there are flying buttresses on either side of the nave and they are indicators of the emerging gothic style. Visitors can climb down into the crypt of the church and view frescoes that survive from the earlier building. And it's free!

4 comments:

  1. The wind was most unpleasant yesterday. We are glad we didn't go on the Traction Avant outing. A friend did, in his cabriolet, and had to stay overnight it was so cold and windy.

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  2. A must-see and check-out when I visit Saint-Aignan (when? who knows?)!

    Mary in Oregon

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  3. susan, it was too cold for him to drive home? Ugh!

    judy, :)

    mary, that's right!

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