Chêne de Saint Jean, Ancient oak tree in Allouville-Bellefosse, France
The Chêne de Saint Jean is an ancient oak in Allouville-Bellefosse whose hollow trunk contains two chapels within its interior space. The tree has been carefully adapted over the centuries to house these two small prayer rooms, with internal structures and decorations added to serve their spiritual function.
A lightning strike during the French Revolution threatened to destroy it, but a local resident saved the tree by declaring it a Temple of Reason, which aligned with revolutionary ideals. This quick thinking protected it from destruction and allowed the tree to survive into modern times, later becoming a site for religious devotion.
The two chapels inside, Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix and the Chambre de l'Ermite, serve as places where visitors come to pray and reflect on their spiritual journey. These small spaces have become destinations for pilgrims seeking a connection to something sacred within this living tree.
Visitors reach the interior chapels by climbing a spiral staircase that wraps around the trunk and guides you upward through the tree. Wooden shingles and protective coverings shield areas where the bark has worn away, so take your time moving carefully through the narrow interior spaces.
The two chapels exist only because of a lightning strike that hollowed out the trunk more than 300 years ago, creating a natural cavity that was later adapted for prayer. This accident of nature turned what could have been a fatal blow into an unexpected interior space.
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