Visiting Rocamadour, France by train

1. How do I get to Rocamadour France?
2. Is Rocamadour worth visiting?
3. What is Rocamadour famous for?
4. When was Rocamadour built?
5. What is Rocamadour France?
6. Where is the Black Madonna in France?
7. Is Rocamadour open?
8. What is the Black Madonna and Child?
9. Is there a black Virgin Mary?
10. Why is Virgin Mary Black?

How do I get to Rocamadour France?

Getting There — The best way to reach Rocamadour is by car. From Bordeaux, travel east along A89 autoroute to Brive-la-Gaillarde, then take the A20 to exit 54 toward Gramat. Then continue on D840 and take the D673 south to Rocamadour.

Is Rocamadour worth visiting?

Rocamadour has several highlights well worth exploring, although it is the 'village as a perfect unity' which is really the big attraction. The village clings to the cliff side above the river Alzou and is so picture perfect it is quite breathtaking. For the best views of the village in its entirety go to l'Hospitalet.

What is Rocamadour famous for?

Rocamadour reached the zenith of its fame and prosperity in the 13th century, when it was one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Christendom. Countless miracles were said to have taken place here, thanks to the sacred aura of the Chapel of Notre Dame and, specifically, the statue of the Black Madonna.

When was Rocamadour built?

This is the largest sanctuary of Rocamadour. It received its Basilica rank in 1913. Backed against the cliff, the church was built in the 13th century in late Romanesque style.

What is Rocamadour France?

Rocamadour, village, Lot département, Occitanie région, southwestern France. Its buildings, overlooked by a 14th-century château, rise in stages above the gorge of the Alzou River. Rocamadour owes its origin, according to tradition, to St. Amadour (or Amateur), who chose the spot as a hermitage.

Where is the Black Madonna in France?

The town of Chartres, France, has been a pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages and is famous for its gothic cathedral and Black Madonna statues.

Is Rocamadour open?

Sightseeing in Rocamadour

Only the castle's ramparts are open to visitors but the viewpoints over the Alzou Valley are simply breathtaking. Remember to keep an eye out for the birds flying to and from the 'Rocher des Aigles' falconry display nearby.

What is the Black Madonna and Child?

The term Black Madonna or Black Virgin tends to refer to statues or paintings in Western Christendom of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both figures are depicted as black. ... Statues are often made of wood but occasionally made of stone, painted and up to 75 cm (30 in) tall.

Is there a black Virgin Mary?

According to some estimates, there are around 500 Black Madonnas in Europe alone, mostly Byzantine icons and statues in Catholic and Orthodox countries. A monastery in the city of Czestochowa in southern Poland, for instance, contains a dark-skinned Byzantine icon of the Holy Virgin.

Why is Virgin Mary Black?

One common account of the Black Madonna in France's Chartres Cathedral holds that her skin was once white, but became dark over the centuries due to exposure to candle soot. This theory, although easily disproven, is accepted in many locations throughout Europe.