Mont St-Michel, The city of books!
Mont St-Michel, The city of books!
With Dominic Lars
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe entered a period of time known today as the Middle ages, which lasted from the 5th to the 15th century.
During this particular time in history, those who had access to books were privileged. In the Medieval Period, books were valuable peaces of art rich in detail, but also in knowledge. Books were the only written source of useful content available to a population that had many questions, but too little information to answer them.
The entire creation of a book required a lot of hard work, but above all, patience. In many cases, bookmakers needed years to produce a book, spending most of their time between the walls of a monastery. This sacred places kept libraries filled with religious texts as well as literary, scientific, and philosophical works.
This medieval fort, beautifully captured, was once widely known for its monastic manuscripts, attracting peregrines from all over the world. “The city of books” was home to Aristotle’s writings, which were first translated from ancient Greek to Latin inside the abbey scriptorium.
Today, the Gothic-style Benedictine abbey is 1,300 years old and adds an undeniable charisma to the fort, which was built in this island for a reason. Because of its special setting, the island held strategic fortifications for centuries and since the 8th century it has been home to the monastery from which it draws its name.
The fort remained unconquered during the Hundred ‘Years’ War. The defensive benefits of its natural surrounding motivated Louis XI to turn the Mont into a prison! As such, the abbey was once used regularly as a jail.
Interestingly, the structural composition of the fort represents quite well the strong hierarchical society prevalent in the Middle Ages. On top, God, represented by the monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, houses for fisherman and farmers. Nowadays, behind Mont Saint-Michel’s medieval fort walls, narrow cobblestone streets, cafés, museums and shops can be found.
Because the difference between the low and high tides around Mont St-Michel are quite significant, they can reach a remarkable 49 feet, the bay around the fort is said to have Europe’s highest tidal variations. Completely surrounded by the sea every month, the Mont’s setting could not be more inspiring.
Mont St-Michel is one of France’s most recognizable landmarks, receiving more than 3 million visitors per year. Because of its remarkable beauty, the fort is part of UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.
The number of tourist visiting Mont St-Michel is quite high. However, the charismatic views, narrow alleys, and ancient walls still have the potential to transport visitors back to the Middle Ages!
