Attractions and Places To See around Urcel - Top 20

This austere church, contemporary with the cathedral, is a fine example of 12th-century monastic architecture. With its two historiated side tympana, the façade is later, dating from around 1270. Inside, the 17th- and 18th-century woodwork and some elements of medieval funerary sculpture are noteworthy.

Ardon Gate

The Porte d’Ardon is one of the medieval city gates of Laon. The current structure dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. Originally, this gate was called “Porte Royée” because of its proximity to the royal palace of Laon. The gate consists of a châtelet with a portcullis and used to have doors. There was also a barbican, but this has now disappeared. Under the gate there was a fountain and wash houses, some of which still exist. The Porte d’Ardon was classified as a historical monument in 1909.

The Porte de Soissons is a medieval city gate in Laon. It is one of the three remaining city gates of Laon and was built at the beginning of the 13th century when the fortifications were resumed. The gate is located in the south-west of the medieval city and is built of sandstone and limestone. The gate was originally known as the Porte Saint-Martin or Soibert, but was later renamed after the nearby town of Soissons. The rear of the gate (which was demolished in 1895) offers a cross-section of this type of defensive system: a vaulted room on the first floor, giving access to the harrow and the machicolation.

The Église Saint-Martin in Laon, located in the Aisne department, France, is an impressive example of medieval architecture. Let's look at the history and features of this church: Historical background: Construction of the Église Saint-Martin began in the second half of the 12th century. It was originally intended for a congregation of Premonstratensians. The construction followed a chronological order: first the choir (around 1160), then covered with a wooden roof between 1226 and 1240, followed by the transept and the nave. Around 1190 the original wooden roof was replaced by a vault supported by buttresses. The southern facade of the transept was also built. Construction of the towers continued until the end of the 13th century, with the original spiers removed in 1605. The western facade was only started around 1270. In addition, an abbey palace and a pavilion were built in the garden, known as the “vide-bouteilles” (bottle rack), between 1616 and 1621. After the French Revolution: After the French Revolution, the church became a parish church, while the other buildings were transformed into a hospital in 1810. In 1944 a bombardment was carried out which destroyed all the surrounding buildings, exposing the medieval facades of the cellar and refectory. The building was classified as a historic monument in 1862 and registered in 1951.

Here, the city walker will find an early masterpiece of Gothic architecture, a style often found in this part of France – Chartres and Reims, for example, attract enthusiastic international visitors and are far more famous than Laon. In the following 13th century, many Gothic churches were built, not only in their country of origin, France, but also beyond the country's borders, where this sky-high, light-filled architectural style was now in great demand for new churches (for example, the laying of the foundation stone for Cologne Cathedral in 1248).

Loan is a medieval town on a mesa. A trip is very worthwhile! I would always prefer visiting Reims.

A beautiful place to relax!