Moron Church, Saint-Vincent, Italy

The current structure of Chiesa Parrocchiale di Saint-Vincent, with a large circular apse, dates back to the 15th century, when important changes were made to a probable, pre-existing Romanesque building. For some time it conserved certain parish church prerogatives (festive functions and cemetery), even though it was never a parish church.The apse vault has a beautiful series of ribbed stone. Recent restoration removed the modern structures and decor, in an attempt to restore the church to its original appearance. In the past, on Easter Monday, the so-called “vineyard procession” took place, which in almost six hours passed through all the villages and chapels on the Saint-Vincent hillside.

References:

Aosta Valley Tourism

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

Donatella Venturin (2 years ago)
Nella via centrale di Saint Vincent si può ammirare questa caratteristica Chiesa medioevale

Patrick Jeanbourquin (2 years ago)
Une petite église vraiment magnifique. Lorsque l’on rentre, on y ressent une atmosphère très particulière, très calme et agréable. C’est une jolie petite église typique de la région. Une très jolie architecture, un Aménagement intérieur magnifique. La porte est ouverte. Il suffit d’entrer, de visiter. On peut allumer des bougies, admirer des livres et de nombreuses décorations magnifiques.

Svetoslav Iliev (2 years ago)
Трябва да опитате от всичко.Сладоледа е невероятен особено има фастъка.

Giancarlo Pevarello (2 years ago)
Bella chiesa frutto di numerosi rimaneggiamenti nel corso dei secoli. Molto bella abside. Ottima acustica

Jean-Denis Hosquet (2 years ago)
Chiesa molto bella a livello architettonico e culturale. Acustica molto buona e organo appena ristrutturato che ha un suono molto bello.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Martin M. Miles

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Abbey of Saint-Étienne

The Abbey of Saint-Etienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes ('Men"s Abbey'), is a former monastery dedicated to Saint Stephen (Saint Étienne). It is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames ('Ladies" Abbey'), to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine.

Lanfranc, before being an Archbishop of Canterbury, was abbot of Saint-Etienne. Built in Caen stone during the 11th century, the two semi-completed churches stood for many decades in competition. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic architecture. The original Romanesque apse was replaced in 1166 by an early Gothic chevet, complete with rosette windows and flying buttresses. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. The interior vaulting shows a similar progression, beginning with early sexpartite vaulting (using circular ribs) in the nave and progressing to quadipartite vaults (using pointed ribs) in the sanctuary.

The two monasteries were finally donated by William the Conqueror and his wife, Matilda of Flanders, as penalty for their marriage against the Pope"s ruling. William was buried here; Matilda was buried in the Abbaye aux Dames. Unfortunately William"s original tombstone of black marble, the same kind as Matilda"s in the Abbaye aux Dames, was destroyed by the Calvinist iconoclasts in the 16th century and his bones scattered.

As a consequence of the Wars of Religion, the high lantern tower in the middle of the church collapsed and was never rebuilt. The Benedictine abbey was suppressed during the French Revolution and the abbey church became a parish church. From 1804 to 1961, the abbey buildings accommodated a prestigious high school, the Lycée Malherbe. During the Normandy Landings in 1944, inhabitants of Caen found refuge in the church; on the rooftop there was a red cross, made with blood on a sheet, to show that it was a hospital (to avoid bombings).

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