The town of Lucq-de-Béarn developed in the tenth century around the Abbey of Saint Vincent, founded around 970 AD. It has a great reputation at the end of the thirteenth century by hosting several times the King of England Edward I and part of his court came to settle a conflict between the kings of France and Aragon. This charming little medieval village has also suffered religious wars which it will be very difficult to recover.
St Vincent church is in Romanesque-Gothic style church built between 12th and 16th centuries. The bell-tower entrance and its door in basket weave patterns and the doorway which dates from the 16th century invite you to enter the church.
There is a fifth century sarcophagus in the church. Sculpted entirely from white marble it was discovered in the 19th century under the church floor-tiles and now serves as the altar. Capitals sculpted in the 12th century stand side-by-side with altarpieces, pictures and paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries.
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The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.