Gates – Haiku 2024 ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:
The nave rood screen, Choir Entrance,  Sens Cathedral (Cathedral de St. Etienne). Burgandy France. Image credit: Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 40

the first Gothic arch

a well-spring of unknown water

opens up gates

*

And now for something a bit different this week…

This Thursday Doors post features the opulent choir entrance (usually called the choir screen rood screen or gate; rood means ~ the cross of Jesus) at Sens Cathedral, Saint Etienne, Burgundy in the east of France (circa 12th century to 18th century). Sens is considered by most architectural historians as the first Gothic Cathedral in France.

Construction of the rood screen began during the Cathedral’s construction. The rood screen took five years to build (1135 and 1140). Its exemplary style of ornate wrought iron detailed with gilding has been copied by other cathedrals, notably Canterbury Cathedral. The bishop’s chair is to the left of the screen in gold and red.

Rood screen gate closeup. Sans Cathedral, Burgundy France: Image credit: Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 40

Below is French Gothic Architecture’s first portal arch. Etienne Cathedral’s original and earliest stone archway still stands today …Its central portal, The Portal of John The Baptist (circa 13th century). The wood doors have been restored since that time.

Etienne Cathedral‘s earliest portal, John the Baptist Portal. Image credit: rabbitslim CC40 | Wikimedia

Trivia: Not too far from the Cathedral in the nearby town of Tonerre, a mysterious and several-thousand-year-old well/spring gushes water in changing blue and green hues, in a continuous and powerful flow.

No one knows the source of the well/spring, how deep it is, or how or when the spring came to be!

All efforts, including modern divers and expert researchers, have failed to determine the well/spring’s source, the cause of its curiously fast-flowing water, or how deep it is! An image is below:

Ancient and mysterious spring in Tonnerre, Burgundy. Image credit:Anddre Costargent | Pixabay

The stone and concrete structure around one side of the well/spring as seen in the photo (above) was built in the 16th century to shelter the washerwomen during Burgundy’s frequent inclement colder seasons. A thick concrete wall separates the clothes’ washing basin area from the pure spring waters.

As you might imagine, many legends and tales are associated with this ancient and mysterious seemingly bottomless wellspring (or karst spring) smack dab in the middle of town (Tonnerre, Burgundy)!

*Fun Fact: Burgundy is just as famous for its chocolate as its wines.

Extra Fun Fact: The Academy Award-nominated movie Chocolat (2000) was filmed in a small town in the Burgundy region.

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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

68 thoughts on “Gates – Haiku 2024 ThursdayDoors”

  2. Beautiful as usual Suzette 😊 I love the intricate door and how you connected the gates with the spring. That spring is certainly interesting! Never heard about that before, super intriguing

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It is indeed stunning. Well said Maggie. Considering the process of making iron back than was not an easy task the rood screen and gate is pretty stunning.
      May your day be bliss. Many blessing to you!

      Liked by 2 people

  7. You delivered nicely on the promise set up in your poem, Suzette. The iron gate is truly amazing, especially since it would have been almost entirely hand-wrought at the time. The early gothic cathedrals fascinate me. The spring is interesting, even more so because they still can’t figure out much about it. I rather like that.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Hi Dan, I am glad you enjoyed the details and slight shift today in the focus. A gate is still a door, right? The spring and its mysteries are probably the stuff that could fill books or a movie, to be sure.
      Regarding wrought iron and the gate, you are right lots of labour involved in smelting the iron and hammering out the desired shape. Pretty amazing what was accomplished, the intracies…and that what was made has lasted all this time.
      Blessings to you.

      P.S. I just now catching up on blogging after some early day chores…

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Pingback: Gates – Haiku 2024 ThursdayDoors | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  10. Fascinating Thursday offering particularly the stories circling around the mysterious spring of Tonnes

    A dangerous dive into medieval history, I was found reading –

    “In an effort to solve this age-old mystery, two professional divers descended into the limestone rocks’ tight passages in hopes of reaching its source in 1974. While navigating the spring’s twisting, tapering chasms, they perished. In 1996, the town hired another diver to attempt the descent. He also died.”

    leaving France’s ancient underground mystery unsolved.

    The Romans harnessed the karst spring for drinking water; the Celts considered it sacred; and the French enclosed its ever-changing turquoise, blue and brown pool in a circular stone rim with an amphitheatre and used it as a public wash house in the 1700s.

    Some portals must remain a mystery

    I’m drawn to St. John the Baptist’s Portal.

    and the beautiful Poetry accompanying the gate to the underground.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. “Some portals must remain a mystery” So true, wise words indeed, thank you for your appreciation of the share. I enjoy sharing on doors as you know.. LOL.

      May your day be smooth and the path, shining in His grace.

      Liked by 2 people

  12. Yet another magnificent cathedral and its door, Suzette! But mysterious spring captures attention. And you have skillfully included it in your lovely haiku.

    Liked by 2 people

  21. How fascinating! The spring of unknown source. I thought Chocolat was filmed in Mexico! By the way, thought of you again today as we visited Seville Cathedral and its many fabulous doors! Maggie

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think Chocolat was filmed in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, in Burgundy and in the film studios in England.
      Thank you for thinking of me. I do love doors and more doors and their stories…LOL.
      Have a good one and safe travels Maggie, eh. Yay for the weekend!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. I very much like the coupling of the rood gate with the spring/well in the context of unknown source. There is mystery in it all. That gate is so beautiful! I’m imagining the music arising from the other side. I don’t understand the altar, though; it seems somehow a misfit. Also I’m thinking about washing clothes in that water in cold weather. I think I’ll go hug my washing machine. Thanks once again for a thought-provoking post!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Maureen for your deep insights Yes gates are of all sorts and levels of meaning. Thank you for noticing.
      Lol, I like the appreciation you expressed in the modern convenience…the washing machine.
      Glad you enjoyed the share…. Sorry for the WP login toils. Blessings to you.

      Like

    2. Here was my response to your original comment in case WP does not relay it, Maureen..
      **
      Thank you Maureen for your deep insights. Yes gates are of all sorts and levels of meaning. Thank you for noticing.
      Lol, I like the appreciation you expressed in the modern convenience…the washing machine.

      Glad you enjoyed.. Sorry for the WP login toils. Blessings to you!

      Liked by 1 person

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