Shield – Haiku 2025 Thursday Doors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetry
Montpellier Cathedral, Entrance. Montpellier, Occitane Region, South France. Licensed Image © Digitalsignal | Dreamstime

sheltered stone portal

Ramparts vaulted heavenward—

A shield and fortress

*

Originally a monastery college (of Saint-Benoît Saint-Germain 1364), the “stone fortress cathedral” of St. Pierre Cathedral Montpellier (Montpellier Cathedral), Montpellier, Occitane, France was constructed on the same spot, completed in 1526 and remodeled on several occasions since.

Montpellier Cathedral’s main entrance courtyard faces the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier University—one of the oldest universities in France.

The only remaining medieval portion of the cathedral is the main entrance featuring wooden red doors and an arched entrance.

Montpellier Cathedral’s entrance portal is shielded by two stone columns, 4.55 m (14 ft) in diameter, supportrd by a vaulted arch-stone canopy (baldachin) covering the entrance.

Montpellier Cathedral was built at the center of the city’s emblematic outline of a french shield (esusson/escutcheon). [See the aerial view below].

Trivia #1: Two of Montpellier Cathedral’s four towers contains its seven (in total) bells.

Of these seven bells: four of them are the “flight bells” or bells for church service while the remaining three bells are for the clock tower.

The four flight bells for church service are affectionately named: François, Charles, Nicole, and Simone.

The oldest bell, François, is famous for having the deepest tone (G#2) of all the bells in the Occitane region in Southern France.

Trivia #2: Montpellier University’s Faculty of Medicine has had a number of distinguished students and alumni over its long history. One distinguished student/alumnus you may have heard of is Michel de Nostredame (aka Nostradamus).

Aerial view, Montpellier Cathedral, Occitania, South of France. Licensed Image credit: © Saiko3p | Dreamstime.com



And for more #Thursday Doors

Visit Dan Antion at No Facilities

Ritva at Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

65 thoughts on “Shield – Haiku 2025 Thursday Doors”

  4. Pingback: Shield – Haiku 2025 Thursday Doors | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  5. Thanks for sharing this magnificent entrance, Suzette. As always, your haiku set my mind racing as I tried to understand the importance of the words you chose. I love that they named the bells. I suppose that’s more common than I realize, but it made me smile. The aerial view is stunning. I hope you have a great rest of the week.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Dan.

      Yes, I think you are right that the naming of bells is a common practice. Each bell’s sound is designed to be unique…so perhaps the sentiment of naming stemmed from that practice.

      And a great day to you Dan.

      Like

  6. Your haiku beautifully captures the essence of the Montpellier Cathedral’s entrance, evoking its architectural and historical significance.
    An entrance that offers not only physical and spiritual shelter but also intellectual shelter. Fortified against religious wars.
    It stands not just as a place of faith, but as a bastion of knowledge and protection.
    Interesting names for the bells. I didn’t quite catch the history behind the bells.
    I have my hands full today
    Will do my research.

    Beautiful Thursday offering of shelter, elevation and wisdom.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you for your beautiful words today.
        I embrace your blessings of joy, grace and the golden thread of treasure finer than gold with my whole heart.
        Wishing you the same, Poet.

        Liked by 1 person

  24. “Vaulting ramparts” seems unlikely, but that’s exactly what they are. The weight seems incongruous with the skyward purpose, but there it is. It’s such a contrast to the busy sculptures that tell stories around most cathedral doors. I like this a lot!

    Liked by 1 person

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