The winged ox or bull symbol of Saint Luke the Evangelist. Medieval fresco decorating wall inside early 6th century Merovingian or Frankish baptistery, now preserved within the early 12th century Cathédrale de at Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France.
Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France: the winged ox or bull symbol of Saint Luke the Evangelist survives at the edge of a fragmentary fresco decorating a wall inside the octagonal early 6th century Merovingian or Frankish baptistery now preserved within the early 12th century Cathédrale de According to legend, the cathedral land was originally occupied by a pre-Roman sacred site that was replaced by a temple, built in the Roman forum, dedicated to the sun god Apollo. The initial Christian construction, a small oratory, was founded around 500 AD and it was later joined by a group of episcopal buildings including the baptistery and several other rooms. The baptistery is one of the oldest in France. Its roof is supported by eight ancient columns, six of marble and two of granite, which some sources claim were salvaged from the Roman temple when the baptistery was built. In fact, only the octagonal baptismal pool and lower sections of the walls definitely date from the Merovingian era, with the upper walls and domed roof added in the 16th century. The present cathedral, accessed from Place de l’Université, was dedicated in 1103 and is a blend of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architecture.
Size: 3872px × 2592px
Location: Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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