[Magdalen] Fwd: Dynamic Duo Dallying.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

I was looking at some medieval stained glass online from the  Cathedral
at Auxerre in France this week.
 
Auxerre, site of a major medieval cathedral, somehow escaped my
chronic prowling about La Belle France.
 
It turns out that the small city of Auxerre, most noted for its  Burgundy
wine, is a fairly well preserved medieval town with lots of French
half-timbering which is very different from German half-timbering.
The city is 93 miles southeast of Paris.
 
I was aware of the major gothic cathedral in Auxerrre, but unaware
that it was one of many French towns with both a diocesan cathedral
and a major monastic church, as well.  This combination is  more
unusual in Britain where many of the major cathedrals were also  Benedictine
institutions.  London with St. Paul's and Westminster is an  exception.
 
The classical view of Auxerre along the River Yonne picks up not  only
the impressive bulk of the cathedral, but that of the former Abbey  of
St. Germain only about three blocks away.  It was much damaged
during the 19th century.
 
Other similar situations that come to mind in France include:

(1) Reims with the famous cathedral and the great Abbey of Saint  Remi; 
(2) Rouen with cathedral and the huge, stunning Abbey of St. Ouen.
(3) Soissons with cathedral and St. Jean des Vignes Abbey (ruins).
(4) Paris with cathedral and St. Denis Abbey, the French Royal  Necropolis.
 
 
Then there are the French towns with cathedrals/abbeys and an  additional
very large parish church such as:
 
(1) Beauvais with the cathedral and parish church of St. Etienne.
(2) Caen with the two abbeys and the huge parish church of St.  Pierre
(3) Troyes with cathedral and Basilica of Saint Urbain.
 
I'm sure there are others in the same categories.  It is amazing,  though, 
that these often small urban centers could mount such ambitious  religious
building programs.  The spark for such certainly has long since  been
extinguished.
 
 
David Strang.