Ron, Donna and I went downtown stopping by the main cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul. Construction began in 1434 and was completed in 1891, a mere 457 years later. As they say, something worth doing well is worth taking your time over.
Like all, beautifully constructed by artisans, not builders.
The faces are so varied and, often, puzzling, that one wonders exactly what they were trying to tell us.
And then, sometimes, there are no faces and you wonder if erosion, or disfavor, created the effect.
Inside the cathedral (courtesy of Donna)
The Nave |
The Cathedral's view |
The figure on the top of the obelisk is Louis XVI, one of only four commemorative statues of the king that survived the Revolution.
A short walk and we are at the Cháteau de la Duchess Anne de Britagne. Anne is a revered figure in Britagne because of her efforts to maintain, if not the sovereignty of Breton, at least its political independence from the Kings of France. To do this the girl married three times, two requiring annulments by the Pope. Popes are convenient things when kingdoms and independence are concerned. Her first marriage to Maximilian I of Austria, was by proxy one before her fourteenth birthday. This didn't garner the Germanic protection for Britagne that her father desired and, after his defeat by Charles VIII of France and one of those convenient annulments by the Pope she married Charles VIII becoming Queen of France. After his death, to again secure the political independence of Britagne, she married Louis XII after he obtained one of those convenient Papal annulments from his wife, Joan, daughter of Louis XI and sister to Anne's deceased husband Charles VIII. Anyone have a scorecard at this point?
Atop the ramparts.
Inside the walls.
One of my favorite gargoyles
This was created to express my bewilderment upon discovering my brother shared many of the traits of Tim Conway's half-stepping, shuffling old-man-in-slow-motion character on the Carol Burnett show. You can time him through a 10-yard walk with a sundial.
A current resident of the Cháteau |
A local family in the moat.
Ron and Donna with Duchesse Anne |
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