Rocamadour.
Is a spectacular site and well worth a long trip to get there.
It is famous as a 'stop-over' for pilgrims, on the route to Santiago de Compostella in Spain and was one of seven great pilgrimage sites in the 10th - 12th century. The town was named after an early Christian hermit - St Amadour. It is still important for its 'Black Madonna' and the Sword of Roland (who died heroically fighting to hold a pass in the Pyrenees, while attempting to prevent the Moors from invading France, ).
The Cité Religieuse a cluster of chapels and churches climbing-up the cliffside (see picture above) , is the town's religious centre piece.
The site is accessible from the town on the Grand Escalier, a stairway of 216 weathered steps. Even today, devout pilgrims make the climb on their knees in penance. Along the way are 14 Stations of the Cross culminating in the Cross of Jerusalem at the top of the cliff.
It is famous as a 'stop-over' for pilgrims, on the route to Santiago de Compostella in Spain and was one of seven great pilgrimage sites in the 10th - 12th century. The town was named after an early Christian hermit - St Amadour. It is still important for its 'Black Madonna' and the Sword of Roland (who died heroically fighting to hold a pass in the Pyrenees, while attempting to prevent the Moors from invading France, ).
The Cité Religieuse a cluster of chapels and churches climbing-up the cliffside (see picture above) , is the town's religious centre piece.
The site is accessible from the town on the Grand Escalier, a stairway of 216 weathered steps. Even today, devout pilgrims make the climb on their knees in penance. Along the way are 14 Stations of the Cross culminating in the Cross of Jerusalem at the top of the cliff.
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