Abbey of Île-Chauvet is a former Benedictine monastery of the first half of the twelfth century that once took place in the Marches of Brittany and Poitou. It suffered from the Hundred Years War at the end of the fourteenth century, then a major fire in the late sixteenth before being rebuilt in the first half of the seventeenth century. It is sold as national property in 1791 before falling into disuse.
All that remains today is the remains of the original church, including a beautiful porch with four arches resting on small columns with carved capitals. It is also possible to admire the font, two buildings of the twelfth century, and a Gothic well installed in the center of the old cloister. Open to the public during the summer season, it reveals a very beautiful green setting where it is good to stroll on sunny days.
In August, the abbey hosts a very pleasant musical festival.
References: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.