4 – I arrive at the bottom of the valley. The steep descent is now more levelled. The abbey is much closer. It invites me to stop in order to admire it. From across the field, the magnificent apse, the bell tower and the cypress create a unique and exceptional sight. I stand still to look at it, and almost feel the need to convey, with a light sweeping touch, all my admiration for the soaring elegance of its lines, the solidity, the magnificence and compactness of its architecture.
5 -Only on advancing a little more closely, I notice that one apse, i.e. the first to the left, differs somewhat from the other. It is much smaller, and seems quite older.
Brother Giovanni seems to guess my thoughts, “Yes, that is true. As such it is older than the rest of the building. It is the famous Carolingian apse. It belongs to the primitive church that was built at the time of Charlemagne.”
Primitive church? Carolingian apse? But whatever is this brother talking about? This abbey has a rigorous and uniform aspect, simple and solemn – an unequivocal sign denoting a single architectonic style.
The brother continues, “What you are looking at today is nothing more than the final effect of enlargements and embellishments made around the year 1100, as decided by the Benedictine monks who had been living here since the 8th century. But I don’t want to confuse you. I will explain bit by bit. Come with me!”
And he walks off quickly towards the main entrance, keeping close to the north side. I stay behind, because I want to take a photo. I want to have a keepsake when I get home. The brother stops, to indicate a precise spot on the wall of the bell tower where a bas-relief: there is a bas-relief that shows Our Lady with the 4 evangelists. And forward, with a cornucopia dating to the Roman era, can be seen.
At last the façade is in front of us.