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本帖最后由 ngsunyu 于 2010-8-24 10:41 编辑
The Abbey of Saint Philibert in the riverside town of Tournus, Burgundy, is a fortress-like Romanesque church dating mainly from the 11th century with a 10th-century crypt. The west entrance of the church leads into a dark narthex (late 10th, early 11th century) with a low, heavy vault. Like the nave, it has three aisles supported by plain round pillars. The center aisle is groin vaulted and the side aisles are barrel vaulted. The narthex is more substantial than most because it supports a large room above: the early-11th-century Chapel of St. Michael. This is accessed via a narrow spiral staircase to the right of the narthex. It is the strongest part of the church and looks much like a castle with its strong masonry and arrow-slit windows (the ones you saw on the west front). This chapel served not only as a spiritual sanctuary but also a place of refuge and defense during invasions, which were fairly frequent in the Middle Ages. The chapel is laid out just like the narthex below, but has a much higher ceiling (12.5m) and more light. Windows at the west end provide a nice view of the nave. The relief sculptures in the triumphal arch of the chapel are some of the earliest examples of Romanesque art. In addition to plants and flowers, there are two figurative carvings: the head of a full-cheeked man with a spiky hairdo who seems to be speaking. (http://www.sacred-destinations.c ... -abbey-st-philibert) |
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