Chapelle Saint-Clair d'Aiguilhe, Medieval chapel in Aiguilhe, France.
Chapelle Saint-Clair d'Aiguilhe is a medieval chapel with an octagonal structure built from volcanic stone featuring polychrome stone mosaics. The building is decorated with carved capitals on each facade that add distinctive visual character to the stone walls.
The chapel was built in the 12th century as part of a hospital complex serving pilgrims and the sick. It received official protection as a classified historical monument in 1889.
The chapel displays architectural features brought by pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela, with eastern influences visible in its design and decoration. These design choices reflect the spiritual connections and cultural exchanges along this major pilgrimage route.
Visitors should wear sturdy shoes since the chapel sits on sloped terrain and pathways around it can be uneven. The location near other historical structures makes it convenient to visit multiple sites in one visit.
The entrance portal displays five unequal stone discs whose original meaning remains unclear to scholars. Some interpret them as moon phases while others see symbols for the sun, sky, and moon.
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