There are three islands in the bay of Saint-Michel. And only one of them is inhabited. It is called Mont Sel Michel. This island became the prototype of the fortress in the trilogy "The Lord of the Rings." Those who have been here claim that he makes an extraordinary impression, more fantastic than the island from Tolkien's book.
Once on the island was the shrine of the Druids. However, Mont-Sel-Michel was not yet an island. It was part of the mainland, which, under the influence of natural forces, once separated. Rocks turned into an island. And then the monks settled it. And a monastery appeared on Mont-Sel-Michel, of which fame spread throughout Western Europe. The island became a pilgrimage center.
Location and Description
Mont Sel Michel is a rocky island that rises above sea level at an altitude of eighty meters. It is known for its incredibly turbulent tides and medieval abbey, on the territory of which there are many interesting sights.
Water level fluctuations reach 15 meters here. The average tide speed is 62 meters per minute. Formally, the island belongs to Normandy - a historical region located in the north-west of France.
Mont Sel Michel is located 285 km from Paris. Today this island is very popular among tourists. From one and a half million people visit it a year. Photos of Mont-Sel-Michel confirm that this is an amazing place with gloomy and majestic beauty.
Title
Translated from French, Mont-Sel-Michel - "mountain of St. Michael." Pretty nice name. However, in the VIII century the island was called more gloomily: Grave Mountain. Another name arose in the 19th century, but did not take root. For several decades, this attraction, not without irony, was called Liberty Island. Where this name came from and what is the irony here is described below.
The appearance of the Archangel Michael
Regarding the appearance of the first structures on Mont Sel Michel there is an interesting legend. At the beginning of the 8th century, Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Ober and ordered him to build a temple on the rock. But he was unsuspecting. Archangel Michael appeared three times, and each time he gave signs to an inconsistent clergyman. Only after he tapped his head with his finger did he guess what was required of him. According to another version, the Archangel Michael, in order to reason with the bishop, set fire to his cassock.
One way or another, a church appeared on the island of Mont-Sel-Michel in the 8th century. The relics of the bishop, who had the pleasure of communicating with the archangel, are stored in the basilica of Avranches. They say that there is a characteristic dent in his skull confirming the authenticity of this story.
archangel Michael
It is no coincidence that the island received this name. Archangel Michael is revered not only at Mont Sel Michel, but throughout France. He is considered a warrior who successfully fought with Satan himself. Archangel Michael protects the souls of the righteous from demons. It was he who in his hands at the Last Judgment will hold the scales for weighing good and evil deeds.
Benedictines
At the beginning of the X century, the island was protected by the Norman dukes. In 1966, the Benedictines were transferred here. Their motto was: “Pray and work!” They led a very ascetic lifestyle. The main virtues of the monks were chastity and poverty.
Life in the abbey was strictly regulated. It took about eight hours to pray. Services were carried out seven times a day. Monks ate twice a day. The diet included vegetables, bread and, of course, wine, without which not a single medieval abbey could do.
Monastery
The Benedictines dreamed of turning Mont Sel Michel into a center of monasticism. However, building a building on top of a cliff was not so simple. In addition, this building was supposed to accommodate a huge number of pilgrims. We decided to build chapels that would become a platform for future construction. So the crypts of Saint-Martin, Notre-Dame-de-Trent-Sierge, Notre-Dame-sous-Terre appeared.
The construction of the cathedral began in 1023. The temple was originally conceived as a building in the Romanesque style. But since it took about five centuries to build, in the end, a building appeared that combined several styles, including Gothic.
Ebbs and flows
Since the Benedictines settled on the island, thousands of pilgrims began to visit it. All of them dreamed of the patronage of the Archangel Michael, known as the powerful demolisher of the devil. At that time, getting to Mont Sel Michel was not as easy as it is today. Many pilgrims perished in quicksand before reaching the monastery. Mont-Sel-Michel, as already mentioned, is famous for its strong tides. We’ll tell you another amazing legend related to this island.
One day, a woman who was soon to be relieved of the burden went to Mont-Sel-Michel. Coming to the shore of the bay, she saw the silhouette of a rocky structure and went to him through the sands. However, she did not calculate the strength. The distance to the monastery was too great. At this moment, the tide began.
The woman almost died, she was saved by prayer. The pilgrim not only survived, but also resolved by a boy who was baptized with sea water. Fishermen went in search of her, and, finding the newly made mother alive and unharmed, they were very surprised. This happened in 1011. In that year, the abbot rector in honor of this incredible event erected a huge cross on the island, which, however, once engulfed the merciless sea.
Mont Sel Michel is famous for its tides. Therefore, most of the traditions are associated with the terrible death of travelers or their miraculous salvation.
According to reviews of Mont Sel Michel, the ebb begins here unexpectedly. More recently, a muddy sea was splashing, and sand is already everywhere appearing, which may seem completely harmless at first glance. But only until you step on its treacherously unsteady surface.
Locks
People have been visiting this island since ancient times. Here and today almost all year round there are many pilgrims. It is said that the pre-hours are the best time for exploring the castles of Mont-Sel-Michel - by this time the influx of tourists has subsided.
In 1204, the Duchies of Normandy were annexed to the Kingdom of France. British soldiers set fire to structures located on the island of Mont Sel Michel. Soon, restoration work began. Then there appeared a complex of buildings called La Mervey, which in translation from French sounds like a “miracle”.
This building was supposed to symbolize the Holy Trinity. According to the original plan, the complex included three three-story buildings. Two buildings today are visited by tourists unhindered. The third building could not be completed due to lack of funds. The main attractions of Mont-Sel-Michel are “Western Miracle” and “Eastern Miracle”. This is the name of the structures that make up La Mervey.
In the western wing is the monastery courtyard, a manuscript workshop. The second building has a refectory and a reception room. The third building was supposed to be a library. In the XV century, this complex was supplemented by a hall for the monastery services and apartments of the abbot.
The road to heaven
History knows the name of the first pilgrim who descended to the shore of Mont-Sel-Michel. His name was Bernard. He visited the island, returning from a trip to Italy. The number of pilgrims began to increase rapidly already in the XI century. And in the 14th century, Europe was seized by a kind of madness. Even children and teenagers went on long journeys. They ran away from the house, fraudulently got on the ship and got to the island. The sea route from Mont-Sel-Michel began to be called the "road to paradise."
A visit to the island was not only dangerous because of the natural elements. Pilgrims became victims of robbers. Many died on the way from disease. About twenty people died once near the abbey - they were crushed by a distraught crowd rushing to the sanctuary. There was a saying in Normandy: "Make a will before your trip to Mont Sel Michel."
During the Hundred Years War
Sights of Mont-Sel-Michel, which are especially interesting for tourists, are the bastions erected here in the XI century. The construction of defensive structures began at the beginning of the Hundred Years War, in 1311. Then a water tank appeared here, which subsequently allowed to withstand a long siege.
During the Hundred Years War, the monastery was defended by more than a hundred knights. At this time, the first bastions appeared. The English tried to take the fortress, but to no avail. In June 1452, they left the bay, which meant the victory of the besieged people. Two lines of bastions have survived. The first defended the city, and the second monastery.
Abbey in the XV-XVIII centuries
After the end of the Hundred Years War, the heyday of the monastery began. True, it did not last long. Until the middle of the XV century, the abbots were elected by the monks, after - they were appointed by the kings. The abbey has become a source of income for rulers. No wonder monastic life quickly fell into decay. The abbeys and religious wars were adversely affected. Protestants have repeatedly tried to take the island. But they, like the British soldiers, were defeated.
Liberty Island
Back in the 12th century there was a punishment cell where monks who committed a crime were sent. At the end of the 15th century, the king ordered the conversion of part of the monastery into a prison. A branch of the Bastille was opened here. The criminals were kept in tight cells. The prisoner could neither stand up nor lie down. In addition, he was chained to a wall, and this chain rang at the slightest movement, giving a signal to formidable guards.
The jailers also built huge cages with stakes inside. The prisoner who was in such a cell was practically immobilized. Most of the prisoners died in the first year of their stay in this prison. However, there weren’t so many prisoners here - about 150 people in a hundred years. Significantly more unfortunate people found a howling death here after the French Revolution, when Mont-Sel-Michel began to be called the island of Liberty.
In 1793, all the property of the monastery was transferred to the state. The buildings of the abbey were completely converted into a prison, which lasted until 1863. During this period, about 14 thousand prisoners visited it. Among them were mainly opponents of the revolution and others dissatisfied with the political regime.
Rebirth
In 1897, the construction of the tower in the neo-Gothic style was completed. At its top, a golden statue of the Archangel Michael was installed. The abbey has acquired its current appearance. In the XIX century, a dam also appeared here, which connected the island with the mainland.
Pilgrims and tourists
This island remains a pilgrim center today. It is never empty here. How do tourists differ from pilgrims? The former visit these holy places out of idle curiosity, the latter for spiritual enrichment. Pilgrims, unlike tourists, are not looking for easy ways. They get to the monastery on foot through quicksand. True, with the help of experienced guides. Especially crowded in the abbey on May 8, when they celebrate the Day of Archangel Michael.