Monolithic Church of Saint-Emilion

My goodness what isn’t there to love about Saint-Emilion. What a stunningly beautiful place and the church is a cool, peaceful haven away from the crowded streets. As with all French churches of this era the inside is amazing. How they managed to build these structures & the fact they survive is a testament to the medieval architect's and builders. The surviving frescos on the walls are worth seeing and you can wander around the outside cloisters & picture the Monks from the 12th Century in silent contemplation. Worth a visit before you have a trip to one of the many wine shops

No pictures are allowed inside. The guide was good. She was knowledgeable and witty. And kept the group moving . There are essentially 8 different points of interest in the 1 hour tour. If you are in Saint Emilion and are interested in the history of the village, it’s worth checking out. We used the Bordeaux City Pass to pay for our tour. It was included.

I highly recommend this Monolithic Church with a private tour guide. You’ll be able to see and explore the history of this church. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed. But to really understand the magnitude of this structure you need to see it in person. You’ll be surprised and amazed once you step inside. The largest cavern is so enormous I couldn’t imagine how it was constructed by hand. The underground tunnels and structures are breathtaking. Recommend wearing a sweater or sweatshirt as the temperature of the caverns are 20 degrees cooler than the outside. Very humid as well so wear hiking shoes as the floor is made of clay and is wet. I destroyed my sneakers as the floor was full of puddles.

The monolithic church of Saint-Émilion is a breathtaking example of medieval architecture, carved entirely out of rock in the 11th and 12th centuries. This vast underground church, the largest of its kind in Europe, is a testament to the skill and dedication of the Benedictine monks who created it. The church was excavated from a considerable mass of stone, estimated at around 15 cubic meters. The central nave reaches an impressive height of 11 meters, while the Gothic windows in the western part bring natural light into the building. The church was once decorated with beautiful wall paintings, including a 12th-century Crucifixion, although only fragments remain today. One of the most striking features of the church is the intricate carvings in the underground galleries, which shed light on the spiritual significance of the building. These carvings depict scenes of temptation, evil, and brutality, as well as a figure playing a viol. The presence of Saint-Émilion's tomb attracted burials in the nearby underground galleries. In the 13th century, a magnificent Last Judgment portal was added, with Christ seated between the Virgin and Saint John, and the dead being resurrected on the lower register. The style is reminiscent of the Royal Portal of Saint-André Cathedral in Bordeaux. Today, the monolithic church is a major attraction for visitors to Saint-Émilion, offering a fascinating glimpse into the town's rich history and the ingenuity of its medieval inhabitants. The underground tour, which includes the hermitage of Émilion, the Trinity Chapel, and the catacombs, is a must-do for anyone interested in exploring this extraordinary site.

Beautiful old church, you can climb the tower if you get the key from the tourist office. It has amazing views of the surrounding area from the top.

You can take photos outside but 4 monuments located inside that you can visit privately but taking photos is prohibited. In st. emillion's quartier, there's a corner that believed to be miraculous for women who can't have a child because if you sit on it, you'll get pregnant (of course you have to make love with a man)..

A very interesting tour with a great guide at a sensible price. This is not only an intriguing tour but it continues to be available out of the main season so a great activity to book in case it’s raining or indeed too hot! As it happened the weather on the day was perfect, and an allowed us an out of season uncrowded walk around a still very lively and beautiful Saint Emilion and an outside drink in the square by the church. A big success for my group of 6 friends.

AMAZING CHURCH INSIDE, GREAT VIEWS OUTSIDE Stunning centerpiece of the town of Saint Emilion, it's the landmark that you'll remember. The church inside is beautiful and on a sunny day, the sun streams in through the stained glass windows. Beautiful to look at on the inside, it also has some amazing medieval cloisters that you can walk around. The views and pictures that you'll get from it are amazing and there's a lookout point just outside that you will be able to see the whole town from. You can really feel what life is really like in the middle of the French countryside from here. Really amazing experience if you come here.

If you need something to do in between wine tastings... ok, rephrase that... even if you want to drink wine all day, go take this tour. It's a really fascinating 45 min tour of a unusual underground monolithic church, the cave of St Emillion, and more. Learn about Eleanor of Aquitaine, who managed to be both queen of France and England! The tour guide is awesome, knowledgable and entertaining. It's definitely well worth the €2. As the tour guide said, people come to St Emillion for the wine, but nobody knows about this UNESCO site, it's a real shame.