2009-07-30

monastery, pigeon loft

Pigeon loft on stilts

This pigeon abode is located in Gräfinthal Monastery, founded in 1245 by Countess Elisabeth of Blieskastel. Legend has it that she founded the monastery after being cured of an eye disease by the miraculous powers of the "Our Lady with the Arrows" icon. It became a popular place of pilgrimage. After its heyday in the 18th century, it fell into ruins, but it has now been renovated, and since 1993, it has been home to monks from the Dutch Abbey of Vaals. So, it seems the monastery is back in business. I am not sure about the dovecote, though.
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Location: Mandelbachtal, Germany

12 comments:

  1. Joan ElizabethJuly 30, 2009 at 12:20 PM

    A pigeon loft, I've never seen such a thing.

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  2. ABJuly 30, 2009 at 12:27 PM

    Joan Elizabeth: Maybe, the term is not the most appropriate. In the North of England, that is where racing pigeons are kept. Perhaps, dovecote or pigeon house, is more appropriate.

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  3. RogerBJuly 30, 2009 at 2:21 PM

    Nice digs for a bunch of pigeons!

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  4. Don and KriseJuly 30, 2009 at 6:09 PM

    That's what I was thinking. The pigeons have a condo. SWEET!

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  5. MartinaJuly 30, 2009 at 6:46 PM

    I am glad this one is not tagged or sprayed on ... ;-). Nice story behind it.

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  6. Fernando Gonzalez Seral. fgseralJuly 30, 2009 at 8:33 PM

    ...parece un "hórreo". Están muy abundantes por el norte de España.

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  7. UnknownJuly 30, 2009 at 8:54 PM

    A pidgeon loft!?! Wow! The best and the coolest I've seen in my whole life! :-)

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  8. RobertJuly 30, 2009 at 10:09 PM

    Pigeonnier de luxe, les oiseaux doivent etre content.

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  9. Buenos Aires PhotoblogJuly 30, 2009 at 10:30 PM

    A loft, wow... quite luxurious! Great find! I bet these pigeons are worth something...

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  10. AnonymousJuly 30, 2009 at 11:05 PM

    que bonita historia, y la foto de pelicula tambien!

    saludos!

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  11. tapirgalJuly 31, 2009 at 1:27 AM

    That's exotic. I love it!

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  12. ABJuly 31, 2009 at 7:34 AM

    Thanks for all the comments.

    RogerB: Apparently, only nobles were allowed to build them. They could not have their pigeons living in wood huts!

    Don and Krise: Today's pigeons do not have it so good. After writing the last sentence to RogerB, I realised wood huts are exactly what today's pigeons get. Last week the city of Saarbrücken put up a wood hut on the roof of a parking house, in order to attract pigeons and their droppings away from other places in town.

    Martina: Ssh ... the taggers may be reading this blog!

    Fernando Gonzalez Seral: Si son similares. Pero según está página existan verdaderos palomares en ciertas partes de España también — “El palomar es una seña de identidad de las tierras de Castilla y León, de la misma forma que lo es el hórreo de Galicia”

    JM: Yup. Cool, indeed. I bet the pigeons used to wear shades.

    Robert: J'imagine que les pigeon étaient contents ... jusqu'au moment, on voulait les managers.

    Buenos Aires Photoblog: I did not see any pigeons. I think it is no longer in use. The glory days of the pigeons were in the 18th century. After that the peasants got a bit tired of the nobles and their pigeon lofts.

    Sonia: Gracias.

    tapirgal: Exotic, indeed. Unique in Saarland and, if there had been no plaque, I would never have guessed the purpose of this building.

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