In 1070, Benedictine monks from Italy arrived to build a church. In 1132 Orval became a Cistercian Monastery, with monks sent by St. Bernard. While the monastery is rebuilt several times over the centuries, in 1793, troops of the French Revolution raze the construction to the ground. It isn't until 1926 that the Cistercian-Trappist monks come back to the site to rebuild the present monastery.
Do you enjoy touring ruins? Which ones have you visited or would you like to visit? Rome, Greece, Egypt, Petra?
Bonus: Daylily 'Oriental Ruby'
Wonderful images. I love old structures. As I am retiring the end of this week your blog title caught my eye. I'll be back!
ReplyDeleteOblique Strategies I write about all the creative stuff I'm into. Moslty paper & fiber arts.
I've been retired for going on nine years. So glad I left the workforce. Good luck to you in yours.
DeleteThanks! After I posted my comment I looked at your bio, I grew up in the West Bloomfield area! Small blogging world.
ReplyDeleteI just left you a message about Michigan. One of my former co-workers retired years ago and moved to Houghton. That is pretty far north. I've been here now for 45 years, so it is truly my home.
DeleteI love the fact that so many things in Europe are older than my country. Gorgeous pictures. Thanks for sharing. I too am retired, but instead of traveling extensively, I started writing. I've been to Michigan. My son did his PhD at MSU. Find me here. LINK
ReplyDeleteMy friend was getting ready to move and her house was about 30 years old. Her sons told her she should just tear it down and have something new built. I cringe everytime I see a home show with folks ripping apart classic architecture.
DeleteI love visiting old churches and trying to imagine what happened there in the past. I would love to go to Petra one day
ReplyDeleteDon't think I will make it to Petra. Should have seen it in my youth.
DeleteThis looks like such a peaceful place and I'm going to have to add it to my list of places to visit. My favourite ruins that we've visited is Ephusus in Turkey, which is an incredible place with so much history. I just love visiting any old sites to view what's left of that part of history and imagine the people that have stood there before me.
ReplyDeletePamela @ Highlands Days of Fun
I wish I had gone to Turkey several years ago. Doubt that I will go now.
DeleteThose pictures are fabulous. The stuff Gothic novels are made from! Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just stand there. Did you pick up on any vibes? I know I sure did at Gettysburg and in Boston outside of Paul Revere's house. This stuff always tickles my fancy. :D
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It is so well-maintained that you almost feel they had just left. Never been to Boston, but Gettysburg and my tour of Civil War battlefields was quite the experience.
DeleteWe're going to London in September and I'll be curious to see how I react to some of this stuff... :D
DeleteOMG it looks gorgeous! I would love to spend a day just wandering around there...
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The pictures here are the perfect delight to the eyes! I should give this delight to my eyes in real as well, sometime! :P
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BoisterousBee
I do enjoy touring ruins and this one looks particularly interesting. So much history and faith.
ReplyDeleteI've visited so many ruins, but I suppose I would choose to revisit Angkor Watt in Cambodia and Machu Picchu in Peru. They were both such specal places to wander around. Every day though, you add to places I should see, particuarly as they are so close to home for me.
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My friend took her husband to Machu Picchu and he was not happy. Not sure if I will get there. She has been trying to convince him to go to Cambodia and Vietnam but he isn't buying it.
DeleteBeautiful! I love explore abbeys in Europe when I get the chance. :)
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Mandy
I love these pictures and love visiting ruins. When my hubby and I were in Graz, we visited the ruin of a castle and it was so neat. I have also been to the Musee De Cluny in Paris....beautiful museum but in the back one can explore the remains of the monastery and the crypts...very creepy. I want to visit all these places but if I had to pick one...I would pick Petra...always looks exotic and somehow plucked from a fairy tale
ReplyDeleteThere's something so forbidding and enticing about ruins. I am always imagining life as it must have been back then.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have a thing for ruins.
I do love visiting ruins. We went to Ireland last summer and visited quite a few. One of my favorites was an old castle being held together by ivy in some spots. WeekendsInMaine
ReplyDeleteVery interesting history. The revolutionaries back then were not too interested in preserving their cultural heritage. Of course, Cromwell's men in England were doing the same thing, smashing statues and stained glass whenever they had the chance.
ReplyDeleteAnd here in the 21st century soldiers destroy historic sites and artifacts.
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