Some of Montpellier’s churches - 31 May 2008
With another day between visitors, I decided to visit some of Montpellier’s churches.
Most of Montpellier was wrecked by the wars of religion in the 16th Century. Despite this, there are a few fine churches, among them the Eglise Saint-Roch, which is situated in a lovely big square.
Cathédrale de Saint-Pierre from a slightly different angle.
Eglise Sainte Anne, which was difficult to photograph because it’s so tall and the surrounding streets are so narrow and windy
and the Crypt of Notre Dame des Tables. Only the underground Crypt remains and makes for a very interesting visit – everything above the ground was destroyed.
You can see through the glass, parts of the cafés within Place Jean-Jaurès which now abound where Notre Dame would have been. In the photo below, you can see the Place more clearly, with the statue of Jean-Jaurès The entrance to the Crypt is on the right.
This square is a focal point in the city’s student life. On fine evenings between 6.0 and 7.0 pm., you get the impression that half of the population, not in Place de la Camédie, is sitting here and in the adjacent Place du Marché-aux-Fleurs. If you peep through the Gothic doorway of No 10 of Place Jean-Jaurès, you can see the so-called Palace of the Kings of Aragon who ruled Montpellier for a stretch in the thirteenth century.