The Basilica of St Michael (Basilique Saint-Michel, in French), is a

Flamboyant Gothic Flamboyant () is a lavishly-decorated style of Gothic architecture that appeared in France and Spain in the 15th century, and lasted until the mid-sixteenth century and the beginning of the Renaissance.Encyclopedia Britannica, "Flamboyant style ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. In 1998,

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

designated the

Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France UNESCO designated the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France as a World Heritage Site in December 1998. The routes pass through the following regions of France: Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Ile- ...

as a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, including the three main churches of Bordeaux : the basilica of St Severinus, the basilica of St Michael and the cathedral of St Andrew.

History

The basilica was built between the end of 14th century and the 16th century. It is at the heart of the ancient quarter of Saint-Michel. The church has been listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments since 1846,

minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

since 1903, and

since 1998.

Description

The pulpit represents

Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...

slaying the dragon. The

stained-glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

windows were destroyed during the bombardment of 1940. The separate bell tower, which is 114 meters tall, was built in the 15th century. The tower can be visited every day from April to October.

Legend of the mummies

Bordeaux Saint-Michel un groupe de momies 1

From the late eighteenth century until 1979, over 60 of the mummified bodies were exhibited in the crypt. In 1881 a

Gallo-Roman Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...

cemetery and catacombs were discovered under the tower, with several naturally mummified bodies (see note). The church is a listed

historical monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, historical ...

. The mummies were found in 1791 according to other sources, in the adjacent parish graveyard which, having become full, was being cleared, with remains being transferred to catacombs; they further state that the bodies were removed to the cimetière de la Chartreuse in 1979.Crypte de Saint-Michel à Bordeaux : les momies sont de retour A La Une Bordeaux
jean-paul vigneaud, 24/05/2013, at sudouest.fr Accessed 18 February 2018

Gallery

File:Basilique St Michel - 01.jpg, By night, view from the river

Garonne The Garonne ( , ; Catalan language, Catalan, Basque language, Basque and , ; or ) is a river that flows in southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux � ...

File:Bordeaux - Basilique Saint-Michel - Basilique.jpg, Outside view File:Bordeaux - Basilique Saint-Michel - Nef.jpg, The nave File:Bordeaux - Basilique Saint-Michel - Orgue.jpg, The organ

References

External links

L'église Saint-Michel

Webcam opposite Saint Michel

Basilica of Saint Michael The Basilica of Saint Michael () is a former basilica dedicated to Saint Michael, located in Arapaj, Durrës. Its ruins have been declared a Cultural Monument of Albania. The Basilica of Saint Michael is an early Palaeo-Christian church which is ...

Basilica churches in France 14th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in France Gothic architecture in France Chemin Neuf Community Tourist attractions in Bordeaux {{France-RC-church-stub