Mont Saint-Michel is a famous picturesque tidal island in Normandy. It is located about one kilometer from mainland France, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The mount is a block of granite that has resisted erosion when the coastline was formed over million of years.
During medieval times, Mont Saint-Michel was connect via a land bridge to the mainland. This land bridge is submerged during high tide. This gives Mont Saint-Michel a mysterious appeal, being an island half the time. Over the centuries, however, the coastal flats were polderized. The Couesnon River was also canalized, reducing the flow and increasing siltation on the bay. The land bridge was fortified into a causeway in 1879, preventing the tide from scouring the silt around it. In June 2006, a project was announced to build a hydraulic dam that will remove the accumulated silt and allow Mont Saint-Michel to become an island again.
Before it was used by monks beginning in the 8th century, Mont Saint-Michel was known as Mont Tombe. According to legend, the monastery was built by St Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, who was visited by the archangel Michael. The angel instructed St Aubert to build a monastery on the rocky mount. Aubert was said to have repeatedly ignored the angel's instructions, until the angel burned a hole in his skull.
When William "Long Sword", the Duke of Normandy, annexed the Cotentin Peninsula, Mont Saint-Michel gained in significance. Under the patronage of dukes, the abbey on Mont Saint-Michel was constructed in Normandy architectural style. When the monastery threw its support to Duke William of Normandy in his claim for the English throne, the duke rewarded it with land in England. This includes a small island in Cornwall which becomes the English equivalent, and is called St Michael's Mount.
During the Hundred Years' War, the English attempted repeatedly to invade Mont Saint-Michel, was it successfully defended itself with its formidable walls. A medieval cannon left by the English in their 1423-24 siege is still on display at the outer defense wall of the island.
The original abbey on Mont Saint-Michel was designed by Italian architect William de Volpiano in the 11th century. He designed a Romanesque church in cruciform, and placed the crossing of the four arms at the top of the mount. Underground crypt and chapels were incorporated into the design to compensate for the weight.
The buildings on Mont Saint-Michel was reenforced in the 12th century by Robert de Thorigny, a supporter of King Henry II of England who also happened to be Duke of Normandy. In 1204, Guy de Thours, who is allied to the Philip II Augustus, the King of France, set fire to the buildings and massacred the population. Horrified by what Guy de Thours did, Philip Augustus offered a grant to the Abbot Jourdain to rebuilt the church. It was constructed in the new Gothic style, and included a refectory and cloister. King Charles II added fortifications to the abbey mount and strengthened the ramparts.
Mont Saint-Michel was inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List in 1979 for its rich cultural, historical, and architectural significance. It is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities.
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