October 13, 2014

Travel Theme: Interior

I've seen many different churches, both large and small, during my travels through Europe. Some churches are memorable for their grand exteriors, like Notre Dame in Paris or Westminster Abbey in London. But others have left a lasting impression on me because of a beautiful interior.


Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris



The Abbey of St. Philibert in Tournus, France has a heavy, imposing facade typical of the Romanesque style. I hadn't expected the rosy, warm interior.


Abbey of St. Philibert, Tournus


Stained Glass Windows in the Abbey of St. Philibert




On the other hand, I did expect something special inside Sainte-Chapelle in Paris: the lovely stained glass windows. The deep vibrant colours of the lower chapel were more of a surprise.



Upper Chapel Stained Glass Windows

Lower Chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, Paris


Sainte-Chapelle


Sometimes the feature that makes a church interior notable is the floor, like the scene depicting Paradise on Earth in Chiesa di San Michele on the island of Capri. The flooring is made of majolica tiles.



Chiesa di San Michele, Capri

The Majolica Tile Floor

And other churches surprise you with their beautiful ceiling, like the one hiding behind the unassuming facade of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome.



Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome

Ceiling of Santa Maria sopra Minerva


For more photos on the travel theme Interior visit Where's my backpack?.

2 comments:

  1. Gorgeous photos of Ste Chapelle. We'd never visited there until a recent trip but it was simply beautiful. We were so lucky, too, because by sheer chance we heard a small choir singing the Angelus...such a delight.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Pauleen. And you certainly did luck out. Enjoying a choir along with the beauty of Sainte-Chapelle is a winning combination!

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