Mont Saint-Michel: Where Church Bells And Prison Chains Hang Together

In the early hours of a winter evening, I received a postcard from Mont Saint-Michel. The silhouette of a golden statue atop the castle cajoled the mystery-lover in me. With a mental note to find out more about it later, I tucked it in my JRR Tolkien novel. Little did I know that there was a connection between the two.

Abbey, Prison and World Heritage Site

In the 8^th century, when religion had begun to turn into an institution, Mont Saint Michel was an abbey on an island in Normandy, France.  Later, the clever Louis XI turned the Mont into a state prison. Political prisoners and clerical opponents were subjected to the ‘luxury’ of the prison. By 1836, prominent figures started campaigning to restore its status to a national architecture treasure. In 1979, after a dogged campaign from prominent figures, the island floated on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Angry Archangel and Disobedient Bishop

Legend has it that God’s favourite angel, Michael, flew into the dreams of Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, though there is no way of proving it. Michael commanded him to build a church, but Aubert blamed the vision on his overactive imagination. Angered by his defiance, Michael finger-poked the bishop to burn a hole in his skull and performed miracles to prove that the vision came out of heaven, and was not a figment of the bishop’s imagination.

There are many other legends around the creation of Mont Saint Michel Castle, awaiting clerical approval!

The Castle That Fought Back

Ransacked by the Franks, raided by the Vikings and annexed by William Longsword of Normandy, Mont Saint Michel Island has seen more wars than the Middle East. The English made repeated assaults on the island to satisfy their inflated egos during the Hundred Years’ War. They were unable to seize it due to the abbey's improved fortifications. The island stands impregnable till date; which might encourage Julian Assange to seek asylum in Normandy.

Of Designs, Patterns and Art

After several restorations and regime changes, Mont Saint Michel is seen as a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The church abbey and chapels have been expanded over time to accommodate more pilgrims. The cloister and Merveille are a proof of exquisite architecture and design.

The JRR Tolkien connection

If you are a Tolkien fan, you probably skipped directly to this part, in which case, you should go back to the top and read the complete article; or you have read the article cursing me while wondering where the connection is. Well, here it is; Mont Saint-Michel was the inspiration for the design of Minas Tirith in the JRR Tolkien book-turned-film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

The Two-Day Island

Mont Saint-Michel turns into an island only two times a year. The high tides can be dangerous for visitors, so the French authorities announced a €164 million project to build a dam to regulate the tides and make it an island permanently. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2015. (Please pray to Lucifer, err Archangel Michael, for its successful completion.)

When you decide to leave your demons at home and visit Mont Saint-Michel, remember, the gilded statue of Michael looms large among the clouds, its golden shine reduced with the drowning light. He watches over the traveller who walks the sands on a solitary high.