Not far from Chantilly is the small town of Senlis. For the kings of the first two French dynasties – the Carolingians and the Capetians – this town was one of the main residences. It was here that Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capetian dynasty, was elected as monarch.
One of the mayors of the town in the 19th century refused to bring the railway here, so today there is no industry in the town, and therefore no modern buildings; the town has remained untouched, just as it was for centuries.
In the center of the town stands a tall Gothic cathedral – the first cathedral in France dedicated to the Blessed Virgin (Nоtre Dame de Senlis), a predecessor of the Parisian and Chartres cathedrals. Next to it are the bishop’s palaces and the remains of the royal palace, a powerful Roman wall, and towers from the 3rd century AD. And around it are picturesque streets from the 19th century with mansions from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the Gothic church of St. Peter (église Saint-Pierre), a chapel built in honor of Hugh Capet’s ascension to the throne.
The ancient part of the town is surrounded by a wall from the 12th century, along which beautiful alleys now run, several monasteries, a picturesque river, secret gates, and exquisite greenery of nature, as if embracing the stone town.
For Russian tourists, a particularly interesting place to visit is the ancient abbey of Saint Vincent (L’Abbaye de Saint-Vincent), which was founded in 1060 by Queen Anna, the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, who was married to Henry I. Anna decided to create the abbey after the birth of her firstborn Philip, the future king of France. The Byzantine name Philip was first used in the royal family of France by Anna, and later it became one of the most popular male names.
A walk through Senlis, an aristocratic and wealthy town, is a walk through the ancient French province…
