Vézelay, Church and Hill

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NHK World Heritage 100 Series

Narration Text

A small hill lies in the Burgundy region of Central France. The Medieval town of Vézelay extends beside the road and stretches across the hill.

The St. Madeleine church stands at the top. It is a centre of pilgrimage for Christians. It was built in the 10th century and is believed to hold the relics of Mary Magdalene. It became known as a revered place of the Holy Spirit. The interior is decorated with a large sculpture illustrating, scenes from the Pentecost, with a figure of Jesus giving revelations to his apostles in the middle. According to the Bible St. Mary Magdalene witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus. Her relics were highly prized in medieval times.

St. Madeleine Church drew many devout Christians from all over Europe to pay homage. People in the medieval period expressed their religious faith by going on pilgrimage. During the Crusades, knights saw St. Mary Magdalene as an inspiration for their campaign - she was said to have been expelled from Jerusalem. St Madeleine Church became a point of departure for Crusaders but also Pilgrims starting their trek to the Vatican and to Holy sites in Spain. Scallop shells lie on the path in front of the church. The shell was an emblem of Saint James and became a symbol of Pilgrimage.

Many houses, used to accommodate pilgrims still remain. A great number of pilgrims flocked to the town in the Middle Ages and there was not enough space for everyone. People spread straw on the floor of spaces like this one which sheltered around 50-100 people. This basement remains in its original shape but is now used as a wine cellar.

For modern-day pilgrims, the Holy Journey still starts from here: the town of Vézelay in France.