Catholic chapel inside the oldest oak tree in France
Catholic chapel inside the oldest oak tree in France

Video: Catholic chapel inside the oldest oak tree in France

Video: Catholic chapel inside the oldest oak tree in France
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Catholic chapel inside the oldest oak tree in France
Catholic chapel inside the oldest oak tree in France

The French village of Allouville-Belfoss boasts a Catholic chapel in one of its most unusual locations. Its walls are the bark of a centuries-old oak - the oldest tree in France. How old it is is not known for sure: the locals say that the oak is a fragment of the Charlemagne era, but most likely it grew only in the 13th century, which is also impressive. When the tree was in its prime, at the end of the 17th century, lightning struck it. And although the core of the oak was burnt out, its sores healed over time, young leaves made their way through the bark, and people chose a huge hollow in the tree.

The tree is supported by a special beam
The tree is supported by a special beam

The place, which was struck by lightning, began to be considered sacred, believers reached out to it. For a long time, a hermit monk lived inside the oak. It turned out that there is enough space in the sacred tree for a Catholic chapel. It is located on the top floor, accessed by a wooden staircase. The tree is 18 meters high and 16 meters in circumference receives thousands of tourists every year.

Staircase to the Catholic chapel, all in flowers
Staircase to the Catholic chapel, all in flowers
Hollow inside the oldest oak tree in France
Hollow inside the oldest oak tree in France

The oak survived the Hundred Years War, the Reformation, the Jacobin Terror (at this time the sacred tree was going to be cut down, but the locals disputed it), the reign of Napoleon. The centuries-old oak tree and the Catholic chapel are recognized as national treasures of France. Recently, however, the oak is gradually losing ground. Wooden crutches now help the old man to maintain an upright position. And in those places where bald spots have formed in the bark, patch-boards are nailed.

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