Climbing the Cathedral

So it's the last week in Orleans. I am actually really sad about this, although rather excited about the two weeks of traveling around France, London and Dublin that await me.

Today we visited the oldest part of Orleans, it's a crypt, which was built under a since destroyed church to house the bones of a saint (whose name I have forgotten!)

It was built in the 11th Century and rediscovered in the 19th!

Here is the 11th Century part of it! This is all underground, and very cold, so it was rather spooky!

 

And after that, we climbed the Cathedral!

This was achieved via a series of spiral stair cases... for those of you who want to see what the inside of a Cathedral roof looks like - regardez!

 

You can't quite see it from here, but the artisans used the same technology they used to build a boat (a medieval one) - but they inverted it!

Here are some of the shots I got from the roof of the Cathedral, at various points on the ascent. It was truly spectacular and really called for a more accomplished photographer than me, but alas. 

 

Here it is from the ground with the banner of Orleans fluttering nearby.

 

From the First Level.

 

Looking up from the First level.

 

A very bizarre view of a Cathedral from the Second Level.

 

Finally the Third level, where you can see almost all of Orleans. Sorry for the dark photo....

 

This one is just for fun. I like it!

Until next time!