Mont-Saint-Michel is an island and mainland commune located just off the coast of the region of Normandy in northern France. The island is well known as the site of St. Michel's magnificent and well-preserved Norman Benedictine Abbey. This rocky island is surrounded by the winding streets and convoluted architecture of the medieval town. It was become the part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1979. Since the ancient times the island has held strategic fortifications. Mont-Saint-Michel is visited by more than 3 million people every year.
Mont-Saint-Michel is a great place and has a very interesting history behind it. Mont Saint-Michel was ransacked by the Franks, thus the trans-channel culture was abolished, which was stood after the departure of the Romans in AD 460. The island was called "mons tumba" before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared in 708 to Aubert of Avranches, the bishop of Avranches, and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. After repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction by Aubert, Michael pressed his finger to the bishop’s forehead and burning a hole through it. The saint's skull with hole can be seen in St. Gervais Basilica in Avranches, where the bishop is buried.
The position of the commune on an island just a few hundred metres from land made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey. Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most recognizable landmarks in France which is visited by more than 3 million people every year. More than 60 buildings within the commune are protected in France as monuments historiques. The Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The town of Mont-Saint-Michel has a population of around 50 residents. The vast bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, which turns into a mudflat at low tide, has played an important role for a long time. The tidal mudflats surrounding the island contain areas of deep mud and quicksand. Due to the huge crowd of tourists, Mont-Saint-Michel always remains very busy place, especially in high summer.
Mont-Saint-Michel is a great place and has a very interesting history behind it. Mont Saint-Michel was ransacked by the Franks, thus the trans-channel culture was abolished, which was stood after the departure of the Romans in AD 460. The island was called "mons tumba" before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared in 708 to Aubert of Avranches, the bishop of Avranches, and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. After repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction by Aubert, Michael pressed his finger to the bishop’s forehead and burning a hole through it. The saint's skull with hole can be seen in St. Gervais Basilica in Avranches, where the bishop is buried.
The position of the commune on an island just a few hundred metres from land made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey. Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most recognizable landmarks in France which is visited by more than 3 million people every year. More than 60 buildings within the commune are protected in France as monuments historiques. The Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The town of Mont-Saint-Michel has a population of around 50 residents. The vast bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, which turns into a mudflat at low tide, has played an important role for a long time. The tidal mudflats surrounding the island contain areas of deep mud and quicksand. Due to the huge crowd of tourists, Mont-Saint-Michel always remains very busy place, especially in high summer.
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