If it's Wednesday, it must be Poitiers

Since the start of September regular followers of our blog may have noticed that we are not posting quite as frequently. Real life has intruded, albeit in a nice way. This semester there are more teaching committments away from home. On Wednesdays this means leaving at a rather ungodly hour to get to Poitiers for an 8:15am seminar start.

4th century Baptistry of St Jean, Poitiers

On the plus side this means an opportunity to explore the city of Poiters once teaching has finished; and there is plenty to explore! Numerous medieval churches, as well as secular buildings of note. Poitiers is an old city and is Eleanor of Acquitaine's home town. One of it's claims is having the oldest ecclesiastical building in France, the 4th century Baptistry of St Jean.

Interior, church of Ste Radegonde, Poitiers

One of the other jewels of Poitiers is the lovely church of Ste Radegonde, which still houses her 6th century tomb. She lies the crypt, which is located directly under the high altar. Interestingly, she was not disturbed at the time of the Revolution. She escaped the usual ravages as [according to the literature supplied] she had been a queen of France as well as a saint and thus was still held in respect.  

Quite a crowd at the chapel of Ste Radegonde, Chinon: journées du partimoine

Recently during the Journées du Patrimoine we also visited a chapel dedicated to the same lady in Chinon. Built into the cliff face it extends quite a way into the rock. Double naved, the outer nave lost its roof and suffered during the Revolution; the inner one remaining in a better condition. It has been a place of Christian worship since the 6th century. Before that it was a site of pagan worship due to the well dug deep into the rock at the back. The chapel was interesting to us as it contains a 12th century wall painting of a noble party out hunting. It shows two crowned figures, one male and one female, as well as attendants; one with a hunting bird on his wrist.

Chapel of Ste Radegonde, Chinon: Eleanor and party out hunting

It is held to be an image of Eleanor of Acquitaine and either her husband Henry Curtmantle [Henry II of England] or their son Henry the Younger. He was crowned during his father's lifetime, although he died before his father and so never actually ruled as King.

As Poitiers has many fine examples of Romanesque, later medieval and Renaissance architecture, more 'Wednesdays in Poitiers' will definitely follow!