Saint-Amand-de-Coly
Encyclopedia
Saint-Amand-de-Coly is a commune
in the Dordogne
department in Aquitaine
in southwestern France
.
The village is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
("The most beautiful villages of France") association.
fortified church
. Despite its bristling military architecture, the 12th-century church combines great delicacy and spirituality, with purity of line and simple decoration most evocative in the low sun of late afternoon or early evening. Its defences include walls that are 4m thick, a ditch runs all the way around, and a passage once skirted the eaves, with numerous positions for archers. Blind stairways are designed to mislead attackers.
There is also an interesting atelier that makes classic French copper cookware.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
department in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
in southwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The village is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
Les Plus Beaux Villages de France is an independent association, created in 1982, which aims to promote assets of small and picturesque French villages of quality heritage...
("The most beautiful villages of France") association.
Population
Sights
Saint-Amand-de-Coly features a RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
fortified church
Fortified church
Churches have often shown potential to be used for defensive purposes.Europe has a substantial legacy of fortified churches which were used for defensive purposes in time of war...
. Despite its bristling military architecture, the 12th-century church combines great delicacy and spirituality, with purity of line and simple decoration most evocative in the low sun of late afternoon or early evening. Its defences include walls that are 4m thick, a ditch runs all the way around, and a passage once skirted the eaves, with numerous positions for archers. Blind stairways are designed to mislead attackers.
There is also an interesting atelier that makes classic French copper cookware.