Throughout Europe, especially in France, about 500 Black Madonnas, painted or carved in wood or stone, stand in Catholic churches, with a few in museums. Most date from the 11^th to the 15^th centuries. These medieval images of the Virgin holding the Christ Child gaze benignly on their devotees, who come as pilgrims and associate them with miracles and healing.

Many scholars say that the Black Madonna is a link to religions that existed long before Christianity. Her shrines are often in locations that were once pagan shrines to Diana, Artemis of Ephesus, Cybele and other goddesses. Some Black Madonna figures look just like the Egyptian goddess Isis with her infant son Horus, showing the influence of old ways on changing faiths. Even further back than that, she may represent the archetypal Earth Mother, the ancient, eternal power of the feminine force.

She’s a fascinating figure. Whenever I travel in Europe, I seek her out, finding her in immense cathedrals and hidden crypts. Sometimes she and her son both wear golden crowns and are encased in elaborate brocade robes, with only their faces showing. Sometimes she’s a simple, dark figure, the color of fertile earth, wearing a plain gown and an expression of mercy. Always she conveys a sense of depth and mystery.

Here’s where you’ll find a few of the better-known Black Madonnas, or Vierges Noires:

France: Chartres, Rocamadour, Puy-en-Velay

In the great cathedral in Chartres, 50 miles southwest of Paris, there are two Black Madonnas. Notre Dame de Pilar, a 16^th-century copy of a figure from the 13^th century, stands in her gown of gold in a side chapel of the cathedral. She perches regally atop a high pillar, surrounded by candles.  Notre Dame de Sous-Terre (“Our Lady of the Underground”) is tucked away in a crypt near a holy well that dates from pre-Christian days. During the French Revolution, the sculpture in the crypt was destroyed, and in 1856 a replica was sculpted.

Rocamadour is a town 100 miles north of Toulouse, set against a high cliff with spectacular views of the countryside. A long staircase rises from town to the church (there is also an elevator). Pilgrims sometimes crawl up the 216 stairs on their knees to reach the Chapelle de Notre Dame, a separate chapel devoted to a lovely, carved Black Madonna. This shrine has been a sacred place of renown for centuries, credited with numerous miracles.

Le Puy-en-Velay, 274 miles south of Paris, is a charming town set on hills. Climbing one of those hills takes you to the Romanesque Cathédrale Notre Dame. The small Black Madonna is in the cathedral against a curtain backdrop, resplendent in her full golden robe, with only her face and the Christ Child’s showing. On August 15, the Assumption of Mary is celebrated by carrying the Black Madonna statue in a procession through town.

Switzerland: Einsiedeln

The Black Madonna of Einsiedeln is a Gothic wood carving that dates probably from the 15^th century. Wearing a brocade robe and gold crown, she’s in a black marble chapel in the basilica of a Benedictine monastery. This Madonna has long been considered a shrine of healing; hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit every year. The elaborate, baroque abbey church is 20 miles southeast of Zurich. Every day, the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours are sung by the Benedictine monks in Gregorian chant. Near the abbey a nativity scene said to be the world’s largest holds some 500 wooden figures.

Spain: Montserrat

La Moreneta is a statue said to have been carved by St. Luke. It was brought to Spain, hidden, and discovered in the 9^th century and now stands in a basilica next to a monastery. This small Black Madonna is seated with the child on her lap. If you get to the basilica at 1 pm you may hear one of Europe’s oldest and best-known boys’ choirs in their daily singing of the Montserrat hymn. A funicular and walking path lead up to the Holy Grotto, considered to be the site where La Moreneta was discovered.

Poland: Czestochowa

The “Queen of Poland” is hugely influential to Poles and a steady stream of visiting pilgrims. This is another icon traced to St. Luke, who is said to have painted it on a cypress table top (No wonder Luke is the patron saint of artists.)  It came to Poland in the 14^th century. This Black Madonna, with a mournful face, wears a robe with a design of lilies; Jesus is in a gold-trimmed red robe. Both have crowns. The national shrine is in a chapel attached to a baroque basilica on a hilltop in south-central Poland. A large Pauline monastery is a part of the sanctuary, run by the Pauline fathers who celebrated their 700^th anniversary in 2010.

Written by Marilyn McFarlane for EuropeUpClose.com

Related posts:

1. Amazing Amasya in the Turkish Black Sea Region
2. Le Puy-en-Velay: Stepping Back in Time

The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Edinburgh and Madrid
Thanks to artists such as Monet and Pissarro, the Impressionists are known for their paintings of gardens. Surprisingly then, there has never thus far been an exhibition that explores the garden as a theme in its own right within French Impressionism. The National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid have joined forces and curated an amazing exhibition that explores the origins and significance of the Impressionist garden. The exhibition, which brings together over 90 paintings from around the world is on show in Edinburgh until 17 October, when it then moves to Madrid for 16 November 2010 until 14 February 2011.

There are many articles about Edinburgh on Europe a la Carte – just search for Edinburgh, where you will find all sorts of information including restaurant and hotel reviews as well as lots of information about other attractions. And Andy has some tips for Saving Money in Madrid.

Le Grand Palais

Paris
There is not one, but two exhibitions of Claude Monet’s work not to be missed in Paris this winter. The first, already open – and closing 24 January 2011, is a retrospective of Monet’s painting organised by the Musée d’Orsay at the Grand Palais on the Champs Elysées. Some 170 paintings have been brought together to show his painting changed over his lifetime, during which he is said to have made some 2500 paintings. Sadly, some of the more iconic paintings will not be included in this exhibition, for example the very painting that gave rise to the name Impressionism. This is because there is a bit of rivalry between the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Marmottan Monet.

Not to be out done by the already very popular exhibition at the Grand Palais (tickets for the guided tours of the show have already sold out), the Marmottan has curated an exhibition of its own. Monet: his Museum, 7 October 2010 – 20 February 2011, has not only been designed to remind us which is the World’s leading Monet museum, but it also displays other artefacts of Monet’s related to his painting.

And don’t forget to read Karen’s Best of Paris Travel tips, a summary of all that is good about Paris on Europe a la Carte; or should that be all that is good on Europe a La Carte about Paris?

Martigny
When the exhibition at the Marmottan closes, much of their collection will head over to Switzerland and the Pierre Gianadda Foundation in Martigny for next summer. The Marmottan collection will be on show from 17 June – 20 November 2011 with the various Monet paintings in the various private and public collections held in Switzerland. This promises to be a great exhibition, with a number of private collections on show for the first time in ages.

London
Opening tomorrow and closing 16 January 2011 is Gauguin at the Tate Modern. This is said to be one of the most significant exhibition of the great artist’s work in over 50 years. Most people think of Gauguin as a post-Impressionist, but he did start out as an Impressionist having been trained by my favourite Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro. Gaugin is well known for his wonderful paintings of women in Tahiti.

The Tate Modern is located on London’s Southbank – read Heather’s list of free things to do on the Southbank.

Europe is Awash with Impressionist Exhibitions this Winter

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

I’ve been to Switzerland many times, often to visit relatives, but I’d never made it to the Swiss capital: this time I decided to fix that and we made a day trip to Bern. As far as capital cities go, it’s relatively small with a population of around 120,000. But in fact this makes it a great spot for a day trip, because you can easily stroll around to some of the key sights.

Bern has a historic old town on a kind of peninsula almost surrounded by the River Aar. Understandably, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s very photogenic. I had no map and no plan when I hit Bern – but it was easy to start walking up and down the cobbled streets of the old town area and stumble across sightseeing spots. For example, there’s a clock tower with puppets, reminiscent of Munich’s Glockenspiel, and two major fifteenth century buildings – the town hall and the cathedral.

There is also plenty for keen shoppers to discover in Bern, especially in the old town where boutiques line the street. Particularly interesting shops seem to be “downstairs” at cellar level, disappearing off the main streets. However, as with most things in Switzerland, it’s unlikely you’ll find any real bargains there.

One tourist attraction which I thought was a bit of a stretch was the Einstein house – with big signs advertising the fact that Einstein had lived there, and smaller signs admitting it was only for two years. But Bern was so lovely I’ll forgive it for that!

Exploring the Swiss Capital, Bern

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

At the top of Chasseral there is something of a lodge where you can eat meals – it’s quite large and has both indoor and outdoor seating. You can also, as I did, just treat yourself to an ice cream there, which seemed a much more appropriate thing to do on a relatively warm, summery day.

Hang Gliding at Mount Chasseral in Switzerland

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

If I tell you in advance that they’re “the biggest falls in Europe” your expectations might be too high, but they do apparently have the largest volume of water of any waterfalls in Europe; there are no particularly high falls but the width is impressive and you can take plenty of great photos. There are various viewing platforms to walk around to and you can also take a boat trip to get close to the falls – but expect to get wet from the heavy spray coming off the Rhine Falls themselves.

You can get to the Rheinfall Waterfalls easily by car but even by train from both Switzerland or Germany. There is talk about using the falls for hydroelectric projects so I’d recommend getting there soon in case anything comes of that and spoils the scene.

Get splashed by the Rheinfall waterfalls in Switzerland

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

In the city of Gruyères, Switzerland sits one of those castles – the Château de Gruyères.

I went to Gruyères for a cheese festival.  Because eating cheese is one of the most obvious things to do in Gruyeres.  The rain dampened the hopes of a great cheese festival, luckily as we walked up to the city of Gruyères, the castle came into view.  And just like Amanda, it was worth it.

The Château de Gruyères makes a great day trip from Geneva.  Take the train from Geneva to the town, you’ll have to make a change onto a little local train that winds its way about half a kilometer or so from the city.  The remaining hike will lead you to the city.

The medieval city of Gruyères is situated in the foothills of the Alps.  Of course, the foothills of the Alps make some mountains pale in comparison.  The 13^th century castle sits atop a hill looming over the surrounding valley.  During the day, this Gruyeres attraction is impressive in its own right.  At night, it lights up like a movie scene.

Another interesting thing to do in Gruyeres is to visit the HR Giger Museum which displays science fiction artwork.

If you’re planning a trip to Gruyeres, find the best deals at hotels in Gruyeres using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

The Château de Gruyères, Switzerland

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Read more about Lugano, here.

Written By Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com

Getting to Lugano:
Lugano has a small airport at Agno which accomodates small planes flying mainly to other Swiss airports. There is, however, a privately run shuttle service that provides transportation from Agno (or area hotels) to Milan’s (Italy) international Malpensa airport. Moreover, Lugano is located on the railway linking northern Switzerland with Italy via the Gotthard.

Where to stay:
There is no shortage of lovely hotels and resorts in Lugano, many of which offer spectacular views of Lake Lugano and the surrounding mountains.  Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola, a five-star establishment, is famous for its wellness center, offering thalassotherapy (water therapy treatments) as well as a full menu of massages and beauty services. Their luxurious resort offers lake views, a pool, sauna, tennis courts, and fitness center, as well as a five-star gourmet restaurant.  The four- star Hotel du Lac,  located directly on the lake, offers luxury accommodations, spa services and innovative Mediterrranean-inspired cuisine at their restaurant, L’Arazzo. The three-star Hotel Ceresio is located within walking distance of the lake promenade. The reasonable room prices (starting at 90 euros) includes a continental breakfast.

What to do in Lugano:
One of the most popular activities in Lugano is to take  boat cruises on the lake. Most hotels will have boat schedules at the concierge desk. If cruising by foot is more your liking, head down to the pedestrian shopping area in the middle of town. Here you’ll find high end gift shops as well as popular European chains such as H&M. Lugano is home to a variety of fascinating museums as well as an ethnographic arts center. Lugano’s extensive municipal art collection is housed in the Villa Malpensata and features artists from the 20th and 21st centuries as well as rotating international exhibitions.

Where to eat in Lugano:
Ars Café (5 Riva Albertolli) is a stylish bistro café by the lake’s edge. The menu features a  range of Mediterranean-inspired salads and pasta dishes served with fresh artisanal breads. I suggest going here for a leisurely lunch on a sunny afternoon. It is quite possibly the loveliest eatery on the lake. For a lively dinner, head to the Olimpia (1 Piazza della Riforma) after 7:00pm to catch some live music and fantastic contemporary Italian fare in this large establishment. Be sure to save room for dessert- it’s worth it! Trani (12 Via Cattedrale), a favorite amongst locals, is located near the cathedral. The menu is comprised of a variety of reasonably priced pastas, seasonal fish dishes, snacks (sandwiches, paninis), a decent selection of local wines, and several decadent homemade desserts.

Written by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com

Since the town is just a few miles away from Interlaken, where all the action is, settling for accommodation here makes sense. A number of cosy rented apartments at great prices are available here. Surrounded by the magnificent high Alps on one side and serene lakes on the other side, these cottages are a real gem.

Lovely cowbells chimes wake you up early morning to a landscape worth clicking a thousand pictures. If its spring time, flowers of all colors wish you good morning and there you are – filled up with the most beautiful thoughts, all ready for the day! Prompt and clean service at these apartments by the soft spoken, ever smiling locals adds a feather to the already brimming hat.

Try this out once and you would always want to see Switzerland this way.

The Chapel Bridge and Water Tower Lucerne

I’ve only been in Lucerne a few hours and it’s all getting a bit surreal. I’m getting my bearings among the medieval lanes and cobbled squares, admiring the painted facades of the hotels and hostelries and starting to feel the layers of history embedded in the very fabric of the buildings when I catch a glimpse of a small troop of brightly-clad Swiss Guards armed with pikes marching across a distant bridge. In an instant they are gone, my imagination clearly going into overdrive, especially as I’m sure I hear the sound of horses hooves clattering on the cobbles in the narrow streets nearby. Then, as I turn the corner I run into what looks like an army of extras from The Three Musketeers, all dark blue and white uniforms topped with dashing wide-brimmed hats with huge white feathers. It turns out that I’ve arrived in the middle of festivities for Corpus Christi when the fraternity of the Herrgottskanoniere, ‘the gunners of god’, praise god with canon fire on the eve and on the day of Corpus Christi. The Lucerne Marching Band (they of the blue outfits) accompanies the fraternity from the Kornmarkt to the Chateau Gütsch where this celebration takes place.

Lucerne Marching Band

With its taste for pageantry, fantastic mountain scenery and ability to keep well-heeled travellers happy, Lucerne has long been a magnet for those drawn by its stunning location in the shadow of Mount Pilatus. From humble origins as a fishing village, its strategic location between the Swiss Plateau and the Alps in the centre of Switzerland and the opening of the Gotthard Pass around 1220 led to its inevitable growth. By its nineteeth century heyday when steamboats traversed Lake Lucerne and luxury hotels like the Schweizerhof were built on its shores, Richard Wagner, Mark Twain and Leo Tolstoy were among its famous visitors. Wagner liked it so much that he stayed at the Schweizerhof Hotel for six months before moving to a large house overlooking the lake at Tribschen. Today you can visit the elegant house where he spent six happy years and where his son Siegfried was born. Wagner was famously inspired by the Swiss Alps, taking to the glaciers and mighty peaks with little more than everyday boots, a straw hat and boundless energy, even incorporating the sounds alpine instruments in his work.

Lakeside sculpture in Lucerne

If you don’t have Wagner’s energy or the weather is uncertain, Lucerne has plenty to keep you occupied. For the casual stroller all the city’s main sights are within walking distance. The wooden Chapel Bridge which spans the River Reuss and was built in the fourteenth century and once part of the city’s defences, was nearly destroyed by fire in 1993. A large part of the bridge and many of the paintings under the eaves were lost but sensitive restoration has ensured it remains one of Lucerne’s most iconic images. The octagonal Water Tower was also part of the city’s defences and over time has served as an archive, a treasury and a prison. Ten minutes away the Dying Lion Monument dedicated to to the Swiss mercenaries lost while defending Louis XVI at the Tuileries in 1792 draws big crowds. Created by Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen it sits high above a small pool and is hewn directly from the rock and was described by Mark Twain as ‘the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world’.

The Dying Lion, Lucerne

In the nineteenth century the panorama was a popular entertainment in a time before cinema, especially in a region blessed with astounding views. You can find a history of its development as well as one of the remaining examples at the Bourbaki Panorama The original 16-sided building, now contained within a much more modern cube, houses a wonderfully atmospheric 10m high circular painting by Edouard Castres depicting the the internment of the defeated Bourbaki Army in Switzerland during the Franco-Prussian war. Castres’ experience as a Red Cross volunteer during the 1870-71 conflict enabled him to convey with great insight the desperate condition of the stricken French forces, refugees, German POWs and Red Cross volunteers that found relief at the hands of the Swiss during that dreadful winter. An english commentary and and a three-dimensional sculpted foreground really draws you in to the work and, though the sun shone outside, I felt the bitter chill of winter in my bones.

For an eclectic trawl through Swiss history the Museum of History is a treasure trove of pieces both ancient and relatively modern. A bar code guide enables you to get information on any object on your handset or follow specific themes as diverse as the Roman era, Foreign Visitors in Lucerne or Lust. There’s everything from a fabulously carved racing sleigh (1684), a guillotine built in 1863 but last used in 1940 to carnival costumes and archaeological finds. Among my favourites was the 15th century Milanese painted shield bearing the arms of the Sanseverino family with the latin inscription ‘live well and have fun’. Good advice for any traveller.

If you fancy a spot of evening entertainment the Lucerne Theatre  established in 1839 offers a programme which includes opera and dance in its intimate 555-seater auditorium and is in the heart of the city.

Five Free things to do in Lucerne

1 Take a stroll along the lakeside. The walk along the lakeside towards the Lido is lined with parks, cafes and plenty of benches where you can sit and watch the world go by and see the snow-capped mountains in the distance. You might even catch a free concert at the bandstand.

2 Check out the local landmarks. Both the Chapel Bridge and the Dying Lion Monument are free to visit.

3  Climb one of the Musegg Wall’s towers for spectacular views of the city and mountains beyond. You can also walk along a section of the 800m long city walls which were built in 1400 and are among the longest and best preserved city rampart walls in Switzerland. You might even see a llama. No, really.

Musegg Wall, Lucerne

4 Have a quiet moment in one of the city’s many churches. Built in 1666 the Jesuit Church is one of Switzerland’s finest baroque churches with its distinctive onion domes a later addition. The interior is finely decorated in white, clotted cream and salmon pink colours and beautiful ceiling paintings. The simple Protestant church where Wagner married his second wife Cosima is tucked behind the Schweizerhof Hotel while the imposing Renaissance Hof Church with its twin towers was built on the site of a Benedictine monastery founded in the 8th century and is the city’s main cathedral.

5 Soak up the atmosphere in the bustling markets. The Saturday flea market that meanders along Burgerstrasse, Reusssteg and Reussplatz must be one of the most picturesque locations to peruse the stalls of treasure and tat. For the best seasonal local produce from white aspargus to plump radishes and as well as meats, cheeses and a fish market there’s a market every Tuesday and Saturday morning along the Reuss river from the Chapel Bridge.

Saturday Food & Flower Market, Lucerne

Where to stay

For a bit of 5* luxury the Schweizerhof Hotel was built in 1845 and has been owned by the same family since 1861. Now run by the fifth generation it is in a prime, central spot on the lake and close to the station.
Or, if you fancy something a little more quirky and luxury-lite (no phone or TV in the rooms), you could stay in the Jailhotel Lowengrabe. Yep, it’s a former prison, built in 1862 and in use until 1998, mainly for those on remand or those who refused compulsory military service, opening as a hotel in 1999.

General information about Lucerne

For information on the Lucerne Card which offers discounts and free local transport and other information such as city tours, boat trips and day excursions go to the official Lucerne site.

Here are Margaret’s other Europe a la Carte guest posts on Switzerland:

The Bernese Oberland

Best Basel Attractions

Free Geneva