Saint-Hilaire Church, Melle, France

The church of Saint-Hilaire was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. The Romanesque church was built in the 12th century to the site of older wooden building.

User Reviews

Merry Michael (9 months ago)
Beautiful Romanesque church inside and out. The overhanging narthex gives an impressive image of the whole. Beautiful stained glass windows but the contemporary heart really spoils the whole thing, too bad.

Steph Grollier (20 months ago)
Top.

David Cameron (4 years ago)
Most unusual layout for a church, lower alter than entrance. Beautiful town. Very pretty architecture. Fascinating history.

francette livreau (5 years ago)
Reel

Peter Wilson (5 years ago)
A beautiful and historic old church set on the slope of a valley with a modern altar setting which is unusual. The landscape setting with a small river running through it is in a contemporary French style. There are one or two nice houses and gardens above the church that are good to look at. Cross the road below the church and walk back up to Melle through elegant old streets.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Staffan O Andersson

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Gamla Uppsala Church

The stone church of Gamla Uppsala, built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.

Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.

The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.

Saint-Hilaire Church

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