Mont Saint-Michel
A rocky tidal island off the coast of Normandy, the first site of Mont Saint-Michel is quite spectacular. Formed during coastal erosion, Mont Saint-Michel is a 80m granite rock outcropping that resisted the wear and tear that broke down the other nearby rocks. Once connected to the mainland via thin natural land bridge part of the time, an accumulation of tidal silt has meant that the nowadays, the tidal island is almost always connected to land.
Construction on the granite rick started in 708, when a dream led the bishop of Avranches to create a shrine to Saint Michel on site, leading it to become a major pilgrimage destination. In 966, the Benedictine monks of Saint Wandrille took control of the sanctuary, and constructed a Romanesque monastery on top of the hill. When the abbey was partially destroyed in 1204, it was replaced by the "bâtiment de la Merveille," a Gothic style Benedictine Abbey built between the 11th and 16th century.
The abbey is considered a representation of medieval architecture, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Construction on the granite rick started in 708, when a dream led the bishop of Avranches to create a shrine to Saint Michel on site, leading it to become a major pilgrimage destination. In 966, the Benedictine monks of Saint Wandrille took control of the sanctuary, and constructed a Romanesque monastery on top of the hill. When the abbey was partially destroyed in 1204, it was replaced by the "bâtiment de la Merveille," a Gothic style Benedictine Abbey built between the 11th and 16th century.
The abbey is considered a representation of medieval architecture, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
