THE cemetery of Père Lachaise in Paris holds the tomb of two extraordinary 12th-century thinkers renowned for their calamitous love affair: Héloïse et Abélard. Distinct from the others, in a corner close to the perimeter of the city’s largest necropolis, the sarcophagus is shaded by a High Gothic-style structure with Corinthian capitals, pointed arches and sculptural orna- mentation. Iron railings defend the crypt, probably from illicit lovers cavorting in flagrante at the shrine of tragic love.
Designed by the 19th-century painter Alexandre Lenoir, the shrine had its critics. Some see a ghastly hotch-potch of medieval ornamentation unrelated to the bones of the inhabitants. For others, it is a great artistic interpretation of the romance of the ill-fated couple; flowers and candles are still placed there by those who know of their anguish. It tells the story of a scandalous love affair between intellectually brilliant Héloïse d’Argenteuil and her outstanding teacher, the logician Pierre Abélard, brought to life by their famous letters written in the height of their passion and again after years of forced separation.
Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin March 27, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin March 27, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
