Perches – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:,
**Featured Doors – Main Portal: Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels. Belgium. Image credit: Celli07 | IStockphoto

nestled at cross roads

doors hosting exalted perches

offer rest towers

Built at the crossroads of two ancient trade routes between France and Antwerp stands The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels. Construction on this extremely well maintained cathedral, affectionaly called “Gudula” by the locals was begun in 1226 and finished at the end of the 15th century.

***The featured wooden doors (images above and below), also known as The Main Gate, date back to the restoration of the west facade between 1839 and 1845. The doors’ archvolt’s stone sculptures depict saints and Kings. Recently, from 1983 to 1999, the entire west facade, including the doors underwent thorough restoration.

Closeup: Main wood door and sculpture.  Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula at Brussels © Marcello Celli | Dreamstime.com
Cathedral, St. Michael and St. Gudula Brussels. Ben185 | istockphoto

Trivia #1:

The true story of the Peregrine falcons nesting in the tower of The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels.

In the late 1990s, ornithologists in Brussels discovered that a pair of Peregrine falcons had taken up residence atop The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula towers.

In 2001, ornithologists from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), in collaboration with the Fonds d’Intervention pour les Rapaces (FIR), a French organization dedicated to raptor conservation, installed a nesting platform on The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, hoping to encourage nesting activity.

Although this initial attempt proved unsuccessful, inexplicably, years later, in the spring of 2004, a pair of Peregrine falcons established a nest on a balcony near the top of The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula‘s northern tower. Then, by early March 2004, the female had laid three eggs which the pair of Peregrine falcons successfuly nurtured.

The spectacle of three Peregrine chicks engaging in acrobatic maneuvers on The  Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula’s top-most statues captivated onlookers.

In response, the RBINS, in partnership with the Commission Ornithologique de Watermael-Boitsfort, launched the “Falcons for Everyone” project at the end of May 2004. This ongoing initiative involved the installation of two cameras equipped with a live video feed on their (RBINS) website, allowing enthusiasts and conservationists to observe the falcons’ activities in real time.

**Peregrine falcon pairs have returned to The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula tower to nest every Spring since 2004.

Trivia: #2. The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula’s bell towers have a combined total of 40 bells most of which are never rung!

**Fun Fact: Did you know that The Smurfs comic was invented in Brussels by Belgian illustrator Pierre Culliford, in 1958? It was later translated into several languages including English.

Drone Footage: Cathedral, St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels. Image: Oleksandr Tikki | istockphoto

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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

44 thoughts on “Perches – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors”

  1. Wonderful haiku linked to the story of peregrine falcons on the cathedral. I believe that cathedrals offer perfect nesting opportunities for peregrine falcons, another example being Chichester Cathedral which has its own ‘peregrine cam’ which is very popular. Quite austere doors set in the context of outstanding ornate carvings. Great post… so many cathedrals.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Scooj. Yes, kudos to all the efforts to offer good nesting places for the falcons at this cathedral and others around Europe and North America. The streaming cam is so amazing!!
      I agree with you that the doors/gates highlight not themselves but rather the surrounding carvings.
      Have a great week. Cheers.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Pingback: Perches – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  4. Oh my word the smurfs go way back to 1958. I’d love to see these 66 year old cuties now.

    Love how you incorporated the word perches in your haiku. And true as fact those falcons look like ducks. Their heads and faces at least.

    Impressive doors welcoming the parishionets to St. Michael and St Gudula’s
    Cathedral.

    Quite sad – to say the least- to read that the bells of St M&G are inactive.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, it has been a while for the little blue cuties. The animations were fun, and their stories were quite heartwarming. .

      I sought to think the falcons may see the large church tower aa a perch, eh.

      The doors are simple lines and elegant in that simplicity, I think. Almost drawing attention to itself for that reason

      I don’t know the real reasons why this Cathedral does not ring their bells more often. But sometimes older churches don’t ring their older bells often to protect the towers from damage from that much sound vibration. Those older belll are very heavy as well.
      **They do ring a few of the bells on special occasions, however.

      Thursday bliss to you.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh yes of course, it stands to reason that the vibrations from the bells could cause sustained damage in the long run. Good thing the overseers curbed the tolling of the bells.
        And it’s really special that the bells are set aside for certain occasions.

        Oh I loved the smurfs, it seems the generations slowly outgrew them

        Those falcons sure have an eye for beautiful perching places. Their stories are so endearing and how the community invested in their nesting project, obviously for their own pleasure.

        Absolutely, I love how you described the doors, the lines are captivating.

        Thank you Poet, wishing you a blessed and blissful Thursday too.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes, absolutely, safety and preservation are paramount in these ancient places still in use today telling their silent stories.

        These falconns are endangered and are slowy making a comeback across Europe and North America. So it’s nice to learn of the efforts here and similar ones around the world.

        Thank you for your blessings. I receive them with joy.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Oh I only learn now that they are endangered. They are so pretty.and now I’m happier knowing the work people are doing to protect them.
        You are most welcome poet.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. It’s so interesting to see the contrast between the cathedral and the surrounding city. I wish they had left more space for it–it’s beauty is too hemmed in I think.
    I’m glad for the falcons though. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Thank you for sharing that fascinating history, Suzette and what an amazing cathedral and I love the story of the falcons and their return year after year! Your haiku is wonderful with such a lovely tribute. Those carvings are AMAZING! 🤩 Glad it got restored💓

    Liked by 1 person

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