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Strahov Monastery, Prague
One of the great things about visiting a city like Prague is having the opportunity to see and explore so many interesting historic sites. As an example, the Strahov Monastary.
The Monastery has beautiful architecture and a picturesque setting near Prague Castle, but it is best know for its lavish library of ancient texts and manuscripts. So elegant is this library that it was used for filming scenes in the movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. There’s also an interesting small church to explore, the Basilica of the Assumption of our Lady. And an excellent monastic brewery at which to enjoy another of the monks’ creative endeavours.
Strahov is one of the oldest monasteries of the Premonstratensian Order in the world, operational nearly continously …
Tagged Abbey, Library, monastery, Prague, Strahov Monastery
.All Trips / Europe / France
A visit to Normandy: magnificent Mont St. Michel!!
As we drive through the pretty farmland of Normandy, with its pleasing apple orchards and pastures dotted with sheep and dairy cows, it’s easy to forget this region’s turbulent past. Normandy’s geography, situated on the stormy Atlantic coast not far from England, put it in the path of repeated war and conflict dating back to the days of William the Conqueror (who was born here). More recently Normandy was the site of the largest naval invasion in history, but more about D-Day in a future post.
Today’s destination is Mont-Saint-Michel and its iconic abbey, perhaps the most photographed in the world. As we leave the expressway we finally see the silhouette of the Mont in the distance. …
.All Trips / Europe / France
A visit to Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, France
Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud is situated in the western Loire Valley, a short drive from Chinon and near Saumur. The name refers not only to Europe’s largest medieval abbey, built in the 12th century, but also to the medieval town that surrounds it. The abbey is the prime focus of this discussion as it has a fascinating rich history that includes monks, nuns, royalty, Napoleon and prisoners.
We visited this abbey because my wife is a student of the Middle Ages and its kings and knights, and was determined to see the region in which the Plantagenets had lived. I’m glad she insisted on coming here because the two days we spent at Abbaye Fountevraud were truly memorable and special.
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