Knight's tournament in the castle of San Miguel (Show castillo San Miguel). Wonder of the West: Mont Saint-Michel
Until something unique, unknown and super-interesting catches our eye, we will continue to stroll through the most famous ones. There is a chance that you will learn or see something new. Well, even if not, you can still look at such beauty many times :-)
Before the advent of man-made buildings, Mount Saint-Michel was just a cliff with steep slopes, eighty meters high. The granite from which it is composed is very strong and has not been eroded for thousands of years. Around Saint-Michel there was a dense forest, which is supposed to have been called the Forest of Sissi. Over time, under the pressure of the sea, the forest disappeared. According to legend, a real tsunami - a huge whirlwind of water and wind - changed the landscape at the beginning of the 8th century. So Mount Saint-Michel, together with the neighboring Tombelin hill, seemed to be separated from the continent, turning into an island at high tide. Three rivers flow along the sandy banks around the mountain: Se, Selyun and Kuenon. The latter is the border between Brittany and Normandy. A French proverb says: “Couenon has gone mad, that’s why Mount Saint-Michel ended up in Normandy.”.
During times ancient romans Mont Saint-Michel was not yet an island. The gloomy uninhabited rock, washed by the waves of the Atlantic, was then called Grave Mountain - perhaps the Celts used this place for their burials. The Druids came here to worship the setting sun, and the Romans subsequently preserved this ritual for a long time. In the rays of the sun plunging into the sea, dazzling legends were born: according to one of them, it was on Mogilnaya Gora that Julius Caesar was secretly buried - in a golden coffin, wearing golden sandals...
In the 5th century, part of the coast sank under water, Mogilnaya Gora turned into an island, separated from the mainland by an almost six-kilometer strip of sea. Only twice a day, at low tide, did the sea expose the muddy bottom and open a dangerous passage to the island.
The history of Mont Saint-Michel began in 708, when the Archangel Michael appeared in a dream to a bishop from the town of Avranches and ordered to build a chapel on Mogilnaya Gora. At first, Aubert—that was the name of the bishop, who was later canonized—was seized with doubts: neither the first nor even the second appearance of the archangel convinced him. For the third time, Archangel Michael, having again invaded the priest’s peaceful sleep, was surrounded by a menacing and majestic radiance: repeating his previous order, he hit the hesitant Norman on the forehead with his radiant finger. Waking up from sleep, Ober felt a dent on his skull and, without hesitation, went to Grave Mountain.
Miracles accompanied the construction chapels. A huge boulder that occupied a platform at the top of the mountain rolled down at the touch of a child’s foot. The rocky island in the middle of the sea was deprived of fresh water. But Saint Ober, having already felt the miraculous touch of the archangel, struck the rock with his staff, and a healing spring began to flow from under it. And Michael himself, surrounded by heavenly radiance, occasionally appeared to the builders on dark, stormy nights.
In 966 the first monks were replaced Benedictines who adhered to vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the abbot. The monastery's possessions gradually increased thanks to the financial assistance of the lords of Normandy, Brittany, Italy and England. A huge church was built on top of the rock. In their free hours from prayer, the monks compiled, copied and studied manuscripts on literature, history and science.
At that time, Romanesque architecture reigned. Its distinctive features are powerful columns and giant arches that supported the vaults and frame. To strengthen the monastery walls, crypt-chapels were built on the slopes of the rock.
Since the Benedictine monks settled on Mont Saint-Michel, thousands of people began to come to the island to earn patronage Archangel Michael- a destroyer of the devil, protecting from evil. Many died in the quicksand of the bay, drowned in tidal waves, never reaching their cherished goal. There is a legend about a woman who, in the last month of her pregnancy, went alone to Mont Saint-Michel. Coming to the shore of the bay and seeing the close and alluring silhouette of the Mountain ahead, she, succumbing to the illusion, walked across the sands, but did not calculate her strength: the distance turned out to be too great. The tide has begun.
The wind intensified, and foamy tongues of the rapidly approaching sea appeared from behind the Mountain. The woman realized that she was dying, lay down on the sand, preparing for death and begging the Virgin Mary for support. The roaring sea closed around her, but - lo and behold! - Having formed a kind of water tower, the waves did not even touch the poor woman. Remaining inside this wonderful “well,” the woman gave birth to a boy and, when the sea subsided, baptized her baby with sea water. Fishermen who went looking for her body were shocked to find her safe and sound with a child in her arms. In memory of this miracle, which occurred in 1011, Hildeber, then abbot of the abbey, erected a huge cross in the bay. For a long time he rose among the sand and waves, until the sea swallowed him...
The bay of Mont Saint-Michel has always been famous for its the tides— the difference between the highest and lowest sea levels here reaches a record value of 15 meters. Due to the shallow depths and flat bottom, the sea at low tide retreats from the coast by 15-20 kilometers, but usually returns back at a walking speed - about 4 km/h, although, they say, in some places with a strong tailwind this speed can increase and up to 30 km/h. Legends about tides catching up with the rider, stories about carts disappearing without a trace along with horses in huge quicksands, descriptions of the terrible death of travelers dragged into wet sand - what is more in all this, truth or fiction?
The low tide in the bay always begins somehow unexpectedly: just recently, everywhere you look, a whitish-muddy sea splashed, and sand of the same color appeared everywhere, the treachery of which almost all the French classics were “hypnotized” - from Hugo to Maupassant. This sand seems quite harmless until you descend onto its treacherously unsteady surface, covered in puddles from the recently receding water. The fact is that the sand of the bay is more like silt; it is dense when it dries, but when mixed with water, it turns into a viscous clay mass. The bottom is heavily furrowed with the beds of rivulets and streams - and it is they, apparently, that pose the real danger. Streams of water easily liquefy sand, and in the beds (as well as under the beds) of even small streams those treacherous ripples can form, into which an overly arrogant traveler risks getting caught. And although today there are no such dramatic tides near Mont Saint-Michel as before, few people risk going for a walk along the bottom of the bay without knowing the “schedule” of the sea.
Over a thousand years, the tides brought so much sand into the bay that the coastline moved west almost 5 kilometers, coming very close to Mont Saint-Michel. People completed this process by building a dam in 1879, along which cars now speed. Today, Mont Saint-Michel is a real island only 2-3 times a year, when particularly strong tides sweep the highway. Thanks to the dam, the number of people visiting Mont Saint-Michel annually exceeds 2.5 million, high-speed TGV trains bring day-trippers here from Paris - but no more than a third climbs to the very top of the Mountain, where the 11th-century church and La Merveille monastery are located all arrivals.
tradition of pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michel dates back to the time of St. Ober, but even today people go to the Mountain not only as a tribute to fashion - many try to stay here for several days. In the evenings, when buses full of tourists leave Mont Saint-Michel, the Grand-Rue street leading up becomes less busy and the halls of the monastery become empty. These early evening hours are the best time to explore the architectural ensemble of Mont Saint-Michel.
Since its founding, several disasters have tested the strength of the abbey's existence. In 922 it was struck by fire, in 1103 the upper parts of the nave of the church collapsed, and in 1203 fire again tried to destroy the monastery. Other disasters were caused by people. The Hundred Years' War between France and England, along with the plague, devastated the lands. After the defeat of the French at Agincourt in 1415, Normandy passed to the British. In 1423, the islet of Tombelen was besieged by the British. The siege of Saint-Michel began in 1424, when the British decided to capture the rebellious bastion, protected by fortress walls and the sea, however, the attempts were unsuccessful. Troops were stationed along the perimeter of the bay, a small fort was built opposite Saint-Michel, and a flotilla blocked the island from the sea. Throughout the Hundred Years' War, Saint-Michel remained the only French territory in Normandy not captured by the British.
According to legend, the monastery was helped to survive by Saint Michael, who appeared to Joan of Arc and called her to lead the salvation of France. The last attempt by the British to take the fortress in 1433 was unsuccessful, although a fire broke out in the city, wooden houses burned down and the walls were damaged.
Construction of the monastery church began in 1023 and lasted for almost a century. The tower and nave, built in the Romanesque style, have retained their original appearance. The church rose high above the Mountain (the usual spire on the tower, however, was not there yet) and was immediately attacked by lightning. Every 25-30 years, major fires broke out on the island. And after France annexed Normandy in 1204, the obstinate Mont Saint-Michel was set on fire by the will of the people.
The old abbey completely burned down, and in 1211 the French king Philip II, obviously wanting to atone for his sin before the Archangel Michael and his burned monastery, began construction of the famous Abbey of La Merveille(translated as “miracle”). In just 17 years - an incredible period for that time - an architectural masterpiece was created, which is now considered a generally recognized example of medieval Gothic.
La Merveille, striking in its size, is built on a narrow rock and therefore, unlike other monasteries, has a vertical structure: it consists of two three-story sections. The eastern section, according to the creators, was intended to satisfy bodily needs. On the ground floor there was a hall for the poorest pilgrims, here they had to live and eat. Above them - in the guest hall - the abbot received and treated high-ranking persons; the third floor was a refectory for the monks. In the western section, the first floor was occupied by a storage room. On the second floor was the Knight's Hall, which, with its huge stoves, actually served to heat the monastery.
This hall, originally called the scriptorium, was intended for working with manuscripts, but it was too dark, so the monks carried out all handwritten work in the refectory, where an even and clear light poured from unusually narrow, high and closely spaced windows. The third floor in the western wing was occupied by a covered gallery - a kind of “shelter of tranquility”, intended both for reading and reflection, and for walks of the monastic brethren. The unique architecture of this gallery, as if hanging between heaven and earth, in the words of one of the chroniclers of the monastery, “allowed the Lord to descend to man without losing his greatness.”
During the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), Mont Saint-Michel, which was never taken by the British, inspired the famous Joan of Arc to her exploits, and after the war its fame went far beyond the borders of France. During this period, the inexplicable mass pilgrimages of children reached their peak. Leaving home and parents, thousands of boys and girls aged 7 to 15 years old headed to Mont Saint-Michel. A mysterious heavenly call gathered them from all over Europe - from Poland and Flanders, Germany and Switzerland. They walked through France, lined up in a column of two, and chanted: “In the name of God we march, to Saint-Michel we go!” Adults were afraid to disturb them. So, the father of one child, trying to stop him, exclaimed in his hearts: “In the name of the devil I conjure: come back home!” - and then fell dead. The mother of another young “pilgrim”, who tried to hold him by force, became numb and deaf. Many children died on the way, froze from the cold - the parents were in horror and confusion. Finally, religious authorities began to condemn such exaltation, and one German theologian even called the heavenly call that prompts children to pilgrimage “the voice of the devil.”
At the beginning of the 16th century, the face of the city on the mountain changed. The viceroy of the French king completed the construction of the fortifications. The entrance to the town was protected by the city gates, fortified with a moat, drawbridges and portcullises. Then the abbey became embroiled in religious wars. Protestants tried to capture it. Knowing that the fortress was impregnable, they decided to take it by cunning. Disguised as pilgrims, the Huguenots got inside, hid weapons there and gave wine to the guards. Having discovered the enemies' intentions, the abbot sounded the alarm, and the Protestants' plan did not come true. Over time, monastic life worsened, and funds for the reconstruction of buildings became less and less. Later the fortress turned into a sea fortress prison, where kings exiled rebellious aristocrats, priests, and politicians.
In 1469, King Louis XI established the knightly order of the Archangel Michael, and in 1472 he placed an iron cage for especially dangerous criminals in one of the dampest cells of the monastery - the infernal invention of Cardinal Balu. The cage was a palisade made of thick wooden rods bound with iron; it was suspended on chains from the vault, so that with every movement of the prisoner the cage began to swing. The unfortunate people trapped in this cage had nothing to hope for - despite the efforts of the monks who sympathized with them, pretty soon they went crazy and died of hunger and cold. The cage served the French kings well for 300 years; one of the last to suffer in it was Victor Dubourg, a journalist convicted in 1745 for a pamphlet on Louis XV. Dubourg died a year after his imprisonment, and in 1777 the terrible cage was finally destroyed. Under Napoleon, the monastery served as a state prison, and only in 1863 the prison was closed, and Mont Saint-Michel was declared national treasure.
During the French Revolution, the Benedictine monks were expelled from St. Michael's Abbey, and the island became known as the "free mountain." In fact, the monastery was plundered. The Romanesque stained glass windows were removed from here, and the abbey became simply a prison receiving political prisoners. The dungeon was abolished during the Second Empire, and in 1874 Saint-Michel became a "historical monument". From that moment on, new travelers - tourists - began to come here. At the same time, the Benedictines came here and founded new abbey. The restoration of the monastery began; Mont Saint-Michel received the last important detail of its appearance in 1897 - the cathedral tower was crowned with a neo-Gothic spire and a 500-kilogram gilded figure of Michael the Archangel.. In 1900, construction began on a pier that opened the way to Saint-Michel. In 1965-1966 The monastery celebrated its thousandth anniversary. In 1979, Saint-Michel was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mont Saint Michel can be seen from afar. Day and night, the lonely silhouette of the Mountain, carrying a fairy-tale city, looms over the roofs of neat Norman houses. The spire soaring into the sky is like the threatening finger of the Archangel. Perhaps it reminds us that the spirit of Mont Saint-Michel remains as firm and impregnable as it was hundreds of years ago.
Return of the sea
The dam disrupted the tidal regime established by nature, and sections of the bay around Mont Saint-Michel began to fill with sand and silt. The former water meadows - polders - have long since become a grassy shore, moving close to the island. Herds of Norman sheep have already “besieged” the walls of the historical monument, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
To return Mont Saint-Michel to its former, legendary appearance, construction of a tidal barrier has begun at the mouth of the Couesnon River, which goes around the Mountain. The new dam will stop silt from entering the river at high tide and help it wash out into the English Channel at low tide. In this way, the lands around the abbey, which are constantly under water, will gradually be cleared of sediment. The expensive project is expected to be completed next year.
With the floodgates fully open, the dam will be virtually invisible. In the future, when the sea returns, the old access dam will be replaced by a pedestrian bridge, vehicular traffic on which will cease, and tourists who want to visit the historical monument will be transported to its territory on a special ferry.
Neighboring Saint Michel Tombelen islet, translated from French as “little grave,” was at one time a modest replica of the neighboring abbey. A monastery and chapel were built there, where monks went in search of solitude. Gradually, it also turned into a fortress, in which, according to legend, King Arthur’s bride Helen died, but was later destroyed by order of Louis XIV. Today it is a deserted island.
Walk around Mont Saint Michel
The island's buildings consist of monastic and secular buildings. All buildings are surrounded by fortress walls with watchtowers built in the 15th century. This is evidence of the creation of the abbey's defensive system. The towers, connected to each other by patrol routes, do not rise above the fortress walls, but are protected by them. The horizontal loopholes housed bombards - giant cannons of the late Middle Ages. At the top of the mountain there is a church, the construction of which began in the 11th century. The nave of the church was built in the Romanesque style, part of the cathedral was completed in the 15th century in the Flamboyant Gothic style. The spire of the church is crowned with a golden figurine of the Archangel Michael. In the abbey it is worth seeing the gallery for the monks' walks, the Hall of Aquilon, and the apartments of Robert de Torigny. This abbot of the monastery ordered the construction of premises overlooking the sea. Here he received guests and judged monks.
An interesting monument is Church of Notre-Dame-sous-Terre, built in the mid-10th century, dating back to the pre-Romanesque period. Once it was in the open air, then its vaults were erected, then it was turned into a tomb. The Gothic part of La Merveille Abbey was built after the destruction of the 13th century to replace the monastic buildings of the Romanesque period. On the lower floor, food was distributed to the poor, on the second floor, in the living room, the abbot received influential visitors, and above was the refectory. A wonderful place for walking is the covered gallery - the last floor of La Mervea. This place is called the garden between sky and sea, as it overlooks the ocean. The arcades of the gallery are decorated with sculptures made of Caenian limestone.
Saint-Michel, like any ancient French city, has its own coat of arms. The abbey's coat of arms features a scattering of black shells intertwined with the fleurs-de-lis of France. Shells are reminiscent of pilgrimage, as they were the distinctive sign of the pilgrims. Lilies speak of the guardianship of the monastery and fortress by the king of France. Sometimes a staff and miter were added for decoration, indicating the rank of the abbey, equivalent to a bishopric. Each abbot had his own personal family coat of arms, which was often depicted on the stained glass windows of churches.
Relics of the monastery
The Abbey of Saint-Michel was famous for its relics - the golden statue of the Archangel Michael, its precious ancient manuscripts. The collection includes 203 manuscripts, 199 of which date back to the Middle Ages. Over time, the collection became scarce. When the abbey's library collapsed in 1300, some of the manuscripts were buried, but most of the relics were lost and looted during the French Revolution. In 1882, an unknown visitor in a cassock stole a breviary from the 14th century. Today, twenty manuscripts are scattered around the world, for example, a Romanesque Bible in two volumes is in Bordeaux. 203 manuscripts make up the finest collection in Europe of the Romanesque era, being a monument to the art of calligraphy. The manuscripts were compiled in the scriptorium, a room in the abbey in which the monks received knowledge not only of theology, but also of philosophy, law, history, medicine, music and even astronomy. The heyday of the creation of manuscripts occurred in the 11th century. However, soon, already in the 13th century, decline began. The monks went to Paris to receive education, and the manuscripts they brought were compiled by secular people. The manuscripts of the monks of Saint-Michel, original and one of a kind, are rightfully considered a world cultural heritage.
Nature of the bay
Many people come to Mont Saint-Michel not only to see the sights, learn the history of the monastery and admire the beautiful views of the ocean and continent from the walls of the abbey. A breathtaking spectacle is the tide, the amplitude of which (or rather, the difference between the low tide level and the high tide level in the selected water location) is considered the strongest on the entire European Atlantic coast. In a few hours, sea waves travel several kilometers, and their speed is incredible. In order not to miss the hour of high tide, upon arrival in Saint-Michel you should contact the tourist office for information.
The bay is a unique natural reserve. 10 thousand tons of mussels are grown here annually, and vegetation occupies only 1% of its area, nevertheless being a pasture for 10 thousand sheep. Ducks and other birds fly here to feed on the fertile mud. This area has been designated a “natural zone of ecological significance.” The bay is a crossroads of migratory routes, a kind of international transit point for ashen geese and black scoter ducks. In the waters of the bay, 80 species of fish are born, as well as Risso's dolphins, gray in color with small specks on their backs, the length of which reaches 3.5 meters. Every year, about a dozen fur seals come here to breed their young. However, the picture is not so idyllic. Saint-Michel is at risk of finally merging with the continent, since the construction of polders for the needs of agriculture and livestock farming significantly accelerates the advance of sand. In 1997, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin approved a program to restore the bay to its original surrounding landscape. The goal is to stop the growth of so-called natural prairies.
The French say that all roads lead to this architectural miracle. From Paris, Saint-Michel can be reached by high-speed train TGV or by car to Rennes, then along the road towards Dol-de-Bretagne. About a million tourists visit Saint-Michel every year, people come here by train, car and buses. The parking lot is small, but there are a lot of people wanting to stay. Climbing the mountain, you can see thousands of cars and buses. Entrance to the monastery territory is paid, for children under 12 years old it is free. The monastery is open to visitors all year round, with the exception of some holidays (January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11 and December 25). On St. Michael's Mount there is a cafe, 25 souvenir shops and three museums - the Maritime Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the History Museum. You can stay on the continent and in Saint-Michel itself.
Those who are amazed by the view of Mount Saint-Michel during the day should stay here until dark. At night the island becomes even more mysterious. They say that the nights of Mount Saint-Michel are more beautiful than its days. The lines of sky, land and sea merge, the landscape is illuminated by moonlight. During the day you can appreciate the architectural and historical merits, at night - the spiritual ones. The excursion program also includes a night walk around the island.
To get to the abbey complex, you need to go to the end of Grande rue and then climb the stone stairs. Most of the premises can be explored on your own, but the ticket price includes a one-hour guided tour (in French and English). There are 5-6 excursions per day. The last one starts half an hour before closing.
The layout of the abbey is atypical. It was initially determined by the shape of the rock and the shortage of construction space. The monks were forced to place elements of the architectural complex on top of each other. The top of this unique medieval “skyscraper” was the abbey church and the La Merveille (Miracle) group of buildings. There were no building materials on the rock either. Stones and bricks were brought here by sea during high tides, and then dragged to the top with the help of ropes.
Having climbed the steep stairs to the entrance to the abbey, we find ourselves in guard room (hall of guards), where the ticket offices and information stands are located. Next, following the brown signs, we climb the stairs of the Grand Degre to terrace of Sault Gautier, and then to the western terrace. It appeared in the 18th century. after part of the abbey church was destroyed in a fire. The terrace offers views of the bay, Tomblain Island and the Chauzet archipelago, where granite was taken to build the monastery. Every year on November 8 (St. Michael - autumn) from the terrace you can watch the sun set behind Mount Dole. According to legend, on this day Saint Michael fought a dragon there.
From here you can clearly see bell tower spire(1867, neo-Gothic, copy of the bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris), crowned with a gilded figure of the Archangel Michael (sculptor Fremier).
Abbey Church(Eglise Abbatiale, 11th century, mass daily at 12.15) built on the top of a cliff at an altitude of 80 m above sea level. Its transept rests on rock, and the nave, choir and transepts are supported by the massive walls of the monastic buildings located below. The transept is oriented so that on May 8 (St. Michael - spring) the sun rises exactly behind the altar and moves across the sky along the main axis of the temple.
The classicist façade was added in 1763. At the entrance, pay attention to the stone carved comb of Mont Saint-Michel - 10 shells (scallops) and 3 royal lilies. The nave of the church is in the Romanesque style, with the south wall remaining from 1084 and the north wall built after the nave collapsed in 1103. The nave vault was originally flat, and the modern wooden one was built in the 15th century. The place where the choir connects with the nave took on its final form only in the 19th century: the dome of the cross (architect Petigran) with an opening from where a ray of sun falls on the altar at noon rests on four columns. The Romanesque choir collapsed in 1421, so in the 15th century a new choir was built in its place in the “flaming Gothic” style. The choir of the Rouen Abbey of Saint-Ouen was taken as a basis.
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From the gallery, a straight passage, illuminated by lamps, led to the seventh gate. Behind them was the Upper Court, the famous reservoir with a fountain and the White Tower, built in 1900 by T.E. (rebuilt in 2698 T.E.), in which the palantir was kept. (With)
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Let's take a virtual walk around the castle! Click on the pictures below
The amazing island of Tenerife in Spain attracts people from all over the world with its beauty and rich history.
Description
Near the small town of San Miguel in the south of Tenerife, there is the ancient castle of San Miguel. Every evening passions boil in the castle: six brave knights, once again trying to find out which of them is the most important. A joust is a theatrical performance in which the audience plays a key role. It is the audience who will decide which of the knights won and took the leading place.
The Castle of San Miguel is an exact but smaller copy of a real medieval castle.
It was specially built for theatrical performances. The creators of the show initially planned to take the audience back several centuries during the costume show. The medieval era is familiar to modern people from books about King Arthur and historical films. It was an amazing era, full of romance and heroic deeds.
What's in the castle
At the entrance to the castle there are two horsemen. They pose welcomingly for tourists. Every person who visits a medieval castle wants to capture everything they see on a camera. On the castle grounds, all guests are given multi-colored capes. This is due to the fact that in a tournament people will root for a knight of the same color as the person's cape. At exactly eight o'clock in the evening the castle gates open and the performance begins. To get to the main hall, tourists will go through the armory room and meet the king, who will happily greet each tourist and take a photo. It should be noted that photos will be taken by a photographer and photos will be distributed to everyone after the show is over. Tourists are not allowed to take photographs on their own in the weapons room. On the rest of the castle grounds, you can photograph anything you want. After the weapons room, tourists enter the main hall, where a grand tournament takes place. In the first part of the show, the knights will demonstrate to the audience their equestrian skills and other skills: hitting the ring on a galloping horse and much more. After the audience has chosen the winning knight, he has the right to choose a “lady of his heart” from among those who were rooting for him. She will take the Queen's place of honor for the remainder of the performance. The entertainer on the show is a black dwarf. He is the main cheerful guy here and knows how to extinguish a burning torch in his mouth.
The role of the “lady of the heart” is wonderful, but it has one drawback: she will not get a real knight’s dinner (soup and chicken). All other spectators will taste a real knight's dinner, which they will eat from iron utensils with their hands (in the Middle Ages, people had not yet invented cutlery). During dinner, tourists will drink amazing red and white wine from iron glasses.
The second part of the fight is considered the most interesting and exciting. Here a “deadly” duel begins, during which the strongest of the six “caballeros” survives. This is where fans should support their knight. The winner will be the one whose audience cheered the most. Tourists will have to actively express their emotions. This procedure is very fun and is considered useful. A person should not keep emotions inside himself. You should visit the San Miguel Castle and see a wonderful show that will help a person get rid of unnecessary emotions.
The peculiarity is that during the decisive fight, tourists can drink an unlimited amount of strong drinks.
After the show ends, there is a disco in the next room. Tourists will see a performance by the black ensemble “Drifters”. They perfectly learned the “Kalinka” dance, especially for Russian tourists.
On the border of two French counties, Brittany and Normandy, in the middle of the Cusnon River there is an island-castle with huge rocky shores rising 80 meters above the water surface.
It is called, which is translated into Russian from French as Mount St Michael.
The Legend of the Castle Island
Legend has it that the construction of Mont Saint-Michel, which was an abbey in the Middle Ages, was started by Aubert, a French archbishop, after the Archangel Michael appeared to him three times in a dream in 709. The winged guest said that a fortress should be built on a rock that rises above the sea.
Twice Aubert did not listen to the angel, and Mont Saint-Michel would never have been built if the archangel’s patience had not run out. During the third visit, the heavenly messenger decided to reinforce his words with a click on the forehead, during which the angel’s sword burned through the priest’s cassock. Ober considered this argument weighty enough to overcome his laziness and fulfill Mikhail’s request.
Pyramid in the ocean
Mont Saint-Michel was built by the Normans, contemporaries of William the Conqueror. The kings of all Europe, in search of heaven on earth, made pilgrimages to him. During the Hundred Years' War, the great castle did not surrender to the English conquerors for 30 years of siege.
Twice a year, on the days of the autumn and spring equinox, the water of the Cusnon River rises to the level of the castle walls. The tide comes in extremely quickly, so unwary tourists have a chance of not having time to reach the fortress. The water turns the castle into an island connected to the continent by a causeway.
Visited this magical place Victor Hugo, master of the pen and father of Notre Dame Cathedral, considered the architectural complex “Miracle” located on the island the most beautiful in Europe, and Mont Saint-Michel himself dubbed it a pyramid in the ocean.
Visit to the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel
For several dozen centuries, people have been going to this place along a road called the “Way of Paradise.” They go for a reason, but to ask for help and consolation from Archangel Michael.
If you are traveling on a tour package to Paris, then your tour operator can organize you an excursion trip to the island of Mont Saint-Michel, but only for one day.
It’s much better to go there on your own to wander through the medieval streets of this island-castle, discover different hidden corners and imagine how history comes to life before your eyes...
You will have to stay in a hotel with a three-star comfort level, since there is no choice - there is only one hotel in the castle. And this hotel is also involved in history - after all, it was built in the sixteenth century.
Currently, Mont Saint-Michel is visited by crowds of tourists; in its popularity it has clearly eclipsed both Versailles and even Paris. It’s no joke - more than three million people every year!
Recently, restoration work was carried out on this island, and the top of the tower is decorated with a gilded statue of the Archangel Michael, the work of the famous sculptor Fremier. 
Mont Saint Michel Castle - tourist attraction
There were troubled times in the history of the Mont Saint-Michel castle - at first it was a monastery, which was closed in one thousand seven hundred and ninety, and instead of a monastery it was turned into a state prison for the most dangerous criminals and repeat offenders.
And for fifty years the castle was not a place of pilgrimage for people, but, as it was called, a “Provincial Bastille.”
But, fortunately, the authorities came to their senses, Mont Saint-Michel was restored, a major overhaul was carried out, after which tourists were again able to visit this beautiful place. But this happened only in one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Tourists will be interested to see the abbey, the Gothic complex of buildings “Miracle”, the Grand staircase, which are located in the city of Mont-Saint-Michel, Grand Rue lane.
To get to the inner part of the island, which, by the way, consists of only one street - Rue Grande, you need to pass the Royal Gate.
As you walk through them, you will see small, charming houses standing close to each other on both sides of the street.
Previously, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, these houses were residential, but now you can find souvenir shops, shops or cafes there.
The most famous miracle of the abbey is the “Monastery Court”, which hangs between earth and sky.
It contains six rooms, as well as a passage to the former refectory, which today is used as a place for various meetings, symposiums or banquets.
Participants in these celebrations can taste the monastery cider.
Stone buildings conceal centuries-old cold. And drafts do their job, so when going to the island of Mont Saint-Michel, you need to take warm clothes with you. It will definitely come in handy, especially for those who want to take a walk outside the castle, for example, to walk around it.
Due to the proximity of the sea, there is a strong wind outside, so it is very easy to freeze, despite the fact that you only need to walk one kilometer to go around the castle.
Going on such a walk is only allowed at low tide, when you can walk on the sand, and not alone. The soil of the island is such that there are voids in it, and if your foot gets stuck there, it will be impossible to get out on your own.
You will need to be sure to know the tide schedule if you plan to walk around the island. After all, the water at high tide can rise fifteen meters!
The schedule, written in various languages, is on a board at the entrance to the city.
An interesting fact - if you think that you have already seen the castle of Mont Saint-Michel somewhere, then you will be right - it was he who served as the model for the fortress of Minas Tirith, from the film “The Lord of the Rings. Return of the King".
Tourists have free access to the island itself, however, parking nearby is paid everywhere. Entrance to the abbey is also paid for adults, but for children it is free. Well, also, organized tours with a guide are paid.
Time to visit:
- summer period, from nine in the morning to seven in the evening;
- winter period, from half past eight in the morning to six in the evening.
You've probably already been to similar spectacles in other cities around the world: the idea is not new. The performance in Tenerife is not particularly original. Six colorful knights fight tooth and nail in a sandy arena using piercing and cutting weapons; the audience sits on benches, drinks and eats, gives valuable advice to the show participants and expresses their emotions in all available ways common in medieval Europe.
Just like in the film about “Highlander,” only one will survive. The simple storyline is somewhat complicated by the meanness and complete lack of nobility of some of the lists participants.
This event can be highly recommended for a family visit, especially since there are not so many options for cultural evening entertainment in Tenerife. True, on one condition: adult tourists will not ignore the amusing drinks that accompany the performance in unlimited quantities. They don't just bring them like that. Otherwise, there will be complaints about the staging of the stunts, the script, the skill of the actors... This is not the point here, but in a good mood.
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The show takes place in the Castillo San Miguel building, stylized as an ancient fortress, in the south of the island.
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Here you can look at the hero up close. The knights pose near the walls of the fortress and willingly take pictures with everyone.
In general, the favorite of the tournament is known even before the start of the performance. All characters adhere to a pre-agreed, standard scenario. But if your sector fights exceptionally actively and harmoniously, then there is a chance that your knight will win. Even if it wasn't originally intended. So spectators also have the opportunity to participate in what is happening in the arena and influence the outcome of the competition.
The performance begins with the knights demonstrating the aesthetics of horse riding and smoothly turns into a rough fight with pyrotechnic effects, where it is not immediately clear who is fighting against whom. It is not yet clear where to look, because often several events are unfolding in the arena at the same time.
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Guests of the tournament are served a simple dinner with wine (included in the ticket price) in an iron bowl, and after the performance they are invited to go to another room to listen to live music and dance.
As a summary, it’s a pretty decent show, if you don’t take it too seriously and demandingly. And the children will not be bored. Only the price of tickets is one and a half times too high.
By car, take the TF-1 motorway until you turn to San Miguel. Then about three km along TF-65 in the opposite direction from the coast to the town of Aldea Blanca.
By taxi from Las Americas approximately 25 € one way.
You can buy a ticket with bus transfer.
| Thursday, Saturday Show starts at 19:00 Tickets: €41.50 adult; 23 € for children |
Castle of Mont Saint Michel. Review. One of the most amazing and interesting places in France is Mont Saint-Michel, which is rightly called the Seventh Wonder of the World. Back on our last trip to Loire River Valley We, impressed by the inspection of the most famous castles in France, vowed to visit this splendor on our next trip - the abbey and castle Mont Saint Michel. This time we also traveled in a rented car, which we rented in Paris. Distance from Paris 350 km.
From our hotel to Abbey of Mont Saint Michel it took us four hours to get there. This takes into account the fact that we had breakfast on the way in some small village, because... We left early and were still sleeping at the hotel. We were there around 10 o'clock in the morning. There were already plenty of people, but we still found a parking space near the Mont Saint-Michel castle without any problems. There is one “but” here. We knew in advance that the land around the castle, including one of the parking lots, was flooded with water twice a day. We didn't know exactly when this happened. Therefore, we intuitively chose a parking place on the road, which is higher than other places. In general, the ebb and flow of the tides on this coast is a uniquely beautiful sight, and many come here several times to enjoy the beauty of this natural phenomenon. For some, it’s even a bit of a show to walk through the mud and manage to get stuck in it.
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel in all its glory.
The castle itself looks like an island and is located 6 kilometers from the mainland, and the entire area around it is flooded during high tide. During low tide, numerous tourists rush to wander along the shore that is freed from water. True, the whole ground is damp and muddy and it’s better to walk barefoot, which is what everyone does. But there is one catch: after walking on clay and silt, you will have to wash your feet. Some clever people specially take a bottle of water with them and after such walks, sitting on the stones, they wash their legs with this water from the bottle. Not everyone knows that at the entrance to the monastery there is a place where you can freely wash your feet after a walk. Of course, you can’t walk barefoot much during the cold season.
Parking lot at the Mont Saint Michel castle
If you remember astronomy, it becomes clear that ebbs and flows occur due to the attraction of the Moon. Twice a month they are high, 10 meters. And twice a year these tides are the most powerful and reach a height of about 15 meters. This occurs during the autumn and spring equinox. At the same time, water floods up to 15 kilometers of the coast. Those who get to the castle during such a high tide will be lucky. They say the spectacle is amazing. Sometimes, if a strong wind blows from the sea, a seething wave rushes towards the castle at a speed of 20 km/h. So, in order to “stay with one’s own” after such a natural phenomenon, the car is placed in the upper parking lot, i.e. on the road itself. Buses are usually parked at the bottom, the drivers of which remain to sleep in them and when the water begins to rise, they quickly get off to a higher place. True, such high water occurs only twice a year. For those “in the tank”: there is a special valet in the parking lot who warns you where it is best to park your car. If you go through the arch immediately after the bridge, you will come to a small square where there is a tourism office where you can purchase a tide schedule.
Warning sign.
The tide schedule hangs in front of the entrance to the castle on the wall of the Royal Gate and there is also a special warning sign at the foot of the castle. However, during low tide it is strongly not recommended to walk freely along the bottom of the bay. Of course, you can wander around the edge, but it’s better to go far in search of fish and shellfish with a guide who probably knows the tide schedule. At the beginning of spring, the sea retreats about 15 kilometers from the castle and then returns in the evening. The time between tides is about six hours. True, as we were told, there has not been a single case of flooding recently, because... the water does not arrive as quickly as many guidebooks claim. You will always have time to escape, but it’s still better not to take risks. Who knows?
View of the coast from one of the observation decks of the Mont Saint-Michel castle. France.
In 1879, the construction of a 1.5 km long embankment leading to the castle was completed, along which cars now drive. Previously, the abbey could only be reached during low tides and through deep mud and silt.
You can drive to the castle itself, but only if you have a hotel room booked there. We left the car in the upper parking lot and went on foot to see the sights. We did not dare to wander along the muddy shore. By the way, parking in front of the Mont Saint-Michel castle is free and paid, 4 euros for the whole day.
A little history.
Mont Saint-Michel (Mount Saint Michael) is a rocky granite island in the province of Normandy, 80 meters high and almost a kilometer in diameter, on which there is an abbey with a magnificent castle. This most visited place in France was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Castle Mont Saint Michel. Photo.
The history of the abbey begins in 708 with the construction of a small chapel in honor of the Archangel Michael, highly revered in Christianity. This year, the Archangel Michael appeared to the bishop of the coastal town of Avranches named Aubert. What Ober was thinking about and what Michael then told him is unknown, but one thing is known: the archangel only “reached out” to the bishop the third time, and only after that Ober ordered the construction of a chapel on the island. Apparently it didn't work out the first time. So says the legend. What came out of this idea can be seen by visiting this unique castle.
Inside the castle.
During the construction of the chapel, miracles began to happen on the island. Either someone’s child accidentally moved a huge stone with his foot, then in the morning a holy circle of dew formed, in the center of which it was decided to build a chapel, and in addition to everything, St. Michael himself once again appeared to Ober and pointed out the location of the source fresh water. There were quite a few such miracles, which later served as the reason for the invasion of pilgrims with the desire to pray to St. Michael. Over time, due to the invasion of pilgrims, the idea arose to build a monastery on this site, and subsequently a castle.
The fortress walls of the Mont Saint Michel castle.
The abbey gradually turns into a center of pilgrimage and becomes the most influential and powerful abbey, while being well protected in case of attack by enemies. The monastery took almost 500 years to build and in the 13th century it was already a powerful defensive structure with high impregnable walls. The benefits of these walls were felt during the Hundred Years' War, when the British were unable to take the Mont Saint-Michel fortress. By the way, this fortress has never been captured by anyone in its entire history of existence, which for believers has become a symbol of the inviolability of the Christian faith.
Inside the castle.
During the time of Napoleon, the castle was a prison for state criminals, and only after the overthrow of Napoleon was the abbey declared a national treasure. On the highest tower of the monastery there was a spire with a gilded figure of St. Michael. The spire can now be seen from afar.
If you have ever been to a Swiss Chillon Castle
, then you will immediately feel some similarity between these places. The same well-groomed lawns, steep wooden staircases, the same austere and majestic walls and the same picturesque views from above that will take your breath away. Both deserve admiration, but still the castle of Mont Saint-Michel made a greater impression on us with its monumentality and grandeur. We have never seen anything like this before.
Inside the castle you pass through the Royal Gate along a narrow street. Now there are all kinds of souvenir shops and restaurants located here. Previously, abbots lived in these houses. These shops sell all kinds of medieval-themed souvenirs, all sorts of tablecloths, sculptures and knightly armor. There is a good candy store with cookies, honey and all kinds of sweets. There was an idea to buy and bring a medieval helmet as a gift to my boss, but I abandoned this idea in time. We didn't find anything interesting except magnets.
Streets with shops. Very similar to European streets.
You can walk around the lower grounds of the castle all day and all night. But the abbey itself is open until 23.00, but entry stops at 22.00. At night the castle is illuminated by floodlights. During the summer, there is live music in the abbey in the evenings. A magnificent sight, it’s probably a pity that we didn’t see this already! If you’re not really into medieval history, then in general, 5-6 hours is enough to explore the entire castle with a lunch break.
One of the oldest and most famous attractions of Mont Saint-Michel is the Monastery Church. True, many tourists are sure that the main attraction of the abbey is Mama Poulard’s omelette restaurant (“La Mere Poulard”). We didn’t go to this restaurant for the simple reason that we didn’t know about its existence. And they did the right thing, as it turned out later. This restaurant serves only one dish - lobster omelette, prepared according to a secret recipe from fresh eggs. Pular fed numerous pilgrims with these omelettes. As I understand it, the restaurant has its own chicken coop and the eggs are from there, from which the omelet is made. These eggs seem to be golden, because... An omelette costs 50 euros here. It's basically a tourist trap. The only good thing about this restaurant is the celebrity autographs on the walls.
The restaurant “La Mere Poulard” is located immediately at the entrance to the abbey, but we only discovered it when leaving. And in theory they should have immediately paid attention to him. And we had lunch at another small restaurant a little further away. My advice to you, do not eat in the local restaurants of the abbey, this is pure scam. Firstly, the prices are sky high, a cup of coffee is 5 euros, secondly, the quality of the food - McDonald's is much more edible and, thirdly, the service is no good. It's better to buy a couple of sandwiches in some street shop.
Restaurant "La Mere Poulard"
There is a post office in the abbey, where you can send a postcard to yourself at home.
Another equally famous monastery in the abbey is La Merveille. All tourists usually try to see these two monasteries. By the way, entrance to the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey costs 8 euros for adults, free for children. There is an audio guide, but it was not in Russian.
You can wander around the castle for hours, walking through narrow ancient streets and looking into some narrow stone tunnel in the hope of discovering something that other tourists have not seen before. You can climb the steep stairs to the highest point of the monastery and admire the panorama of the bay. And if you are lucky and catch the moment of high tide, then this is generally the limit of desire. Just keep in mind that in cloudy weather in the monastery, a piercing wind blows on the open observation decks, and when setting out on the road, take care in advance about warm clothes, you will definitely need them.
We returned to the abbey parking lot around four in the evening, when it was already getting dark.
For the curious, there are several museums on the territory of the monastery. Among them are the History Museum with a collection of medieval weapons and the Maritime Museum with all kinds of sea creatures.
For thousands of years, people have been trying to get to the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel. In the past, crowds of pilgrims hoped to receive blessings here, and today crowds of tourists line up for tickets for excursions.
Our dream came true, we were in the castle as planned a year ago and we don’t regret it at all!
I apologize for the quality of the photographs, which for some technical reasons were taken on a mobile phone.
