Autun, Burgandy
My tour of the Burgandy region has taken Bridget and me west, from the wine-growing countryside of Beaune, to the tiny town of Autun.
Autun is interesting, as far as I can tell, for three reasons:
1. It's not really a tourist town in most areas, so you really get a taste of rural France.
2. It is one of the many towns in France that started off as a Roman settlement sometime around 15 BCE (some of the Roman walls are still standing) and so we got to visit the aphitheater that is still there, as well as see one of the old Roman city gates.
3. There is an absolutely amazing Romanesque Cathedral here!!! I can't even describe to you how thrilled I was to see the Cathedrale St. Lazare. It boasts these amazing carvings by Gislebertus (one of the first Medieval artisans to sign his name to a work ... and you can see his little name right on the Tympanum, under Jesus' right foot!!!). You'll just have to wait for pictures to fully appreciate my glee.
I made poor Bridget go to that Cathedral 3 times. That's how much I love Gislebertus (um, and I also just like saying 'Gislebertus' ... gislebertus gislebertus gislebertus ... wheee!).
Pictures to follow, and more after the jump ...
Autun is interesting, as far as I can tell, for three reasons:
1. It's not really a tourist town in most areas, so you really get a taste of rural France.
2. It is one of the many towns in France that started off as a Roman settlement sometime around 15 BCE (some of the Roman walls are still standing) and so we got to visit the aphitheater that is still there, as well as see one of the old Roman city gates.
3. There is an absolutely amazing Romanesque Cathedral here!!! I can't even describe to you how thrilled I was to see the Cathedrale St. Lazare. It boasts these amazing carvings by Gislebertus (one of the first Medieval artisans to sign his name to a work ... and you can see his little name right on the Tympanum, under Jesus' right foot!!!). You'll just have to wait for pictures to fully appreciate my glee.
I made poor Bridget go to that Cathedral 3 times. That's how much I love Gislebertus (um, and I also just like saying 'Gislebertus' ... gislebertus gislebertus gislebertus ... wheee!).
Pictures to follow, and more after the jump ...
posted by Anna at
6/20/2005 03:47:00 AM
3 Comments:
Wow...what a funny name. That isn't originally french...I guess with the 'tus' at the end it's probably latin, but I have a hard time imagining what it even sounds like in French.
By
Anonymous, at 9:27 AM
No entry found for aphitheater.
Did you mean amphitheater?
Gislebertus, Gislebertus, Gislebertus. Hmm, yes... You'll have to teach us how to pronounce it. When I try to say it it just comes out sounding dirty.
By
Anonymous, at 7:40 PM
Dukie said...
For the record, that picture of Anna on the bike looks exactly like Anna on a bike when she was 13. She also had a traumatic bike accident at that tender age. Are you feeling ok t-fish?
Gislebertus - Geez ley bear too!
Nothing like a little Flatin to brighten my day.
By
Anonymous, at 3:42 PM
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