Asquins

Asquins
region	Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Department	Yonne
Arrondissement	Avallon
Canton	Joux-la-Ville
Community association	Avallon, Vezelay, Morvan
Coordinates	47 ° 29 ′  N , 3 ° 45 ′  E Coordinates: 47 ° 29 ′  N , 3 ° 45 ′  E
height	134-331 m
surface	21.60 km 2
Residents	294 (January 1, 2017)
Population density	14 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code	89450
INSEE code	89021
Website	http://www.asquins.com

Asquins is a French municipality with 294 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the Yonne department in the region of Bourgogne Franche-Comté .

geography

Asquins is at the northern foot of the hill of Vézelay , 37 kilometers south of Auxerre . A wooded plateau rises to the west of the village.

history

The village stands on the site of an old Celtic-Roman fortification. The consecration of a Christian church is at least made before the 1098th

In the Middle Ages , Asquins was the last place before reaching the pilgrimage site of Vézelay and its basilica Sainte Marie-Madeleine . There, according to the description in the Codex Calixtinus (also called Jacob's Book ), the Via Lemovicensis , one of the French sections of the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela, began . When the present church was consecrated in 1132, it appeared in documents as “Ecclesia peregrinorum” ( pilgrim church ).

In fact, the presumed author of the Codex Calixtinus, Aimeric Picaud , is said to have written the first parts of it in Asquins in the years before 1140, before he himself went on the pilgrimage to Santiago.

One of the routes on which pilgrims from Belgium and northern France reached the Via Lemovicensis led from Metz via Verdun , Châlons-en-Champagne and Auxerre. Those who traveled to Vézelay on it saw the basilica for the first time from the hill above Asquins. Like many places of pilgrimage, this place, the so-called Montjoie ("Mountain of Joy"), was marked with a cross. Its stone base is still there today.

Asquins, which was subordinate to the Abbey of Vézelay until its secularization in 1538, was involved in the fighting for Vézelay during the Huguenot Wars in 1569 and partially destroyed.

Wine was grown around Asquins in the 18th and 19th centuries. Because of the damage caused by phylloxera this had to be given up, the old vineyards are now overgrown with conifers. However, Asquins is still within the defined boundaries of the Burgundy wine region . Defined areas are approved for the production of wines under the Bourgogne Designation of Origin .

Attractions

Church Saint-Jacquesle-le Majeur

The Saint-Jacques d'Asquins church has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage " Camino de Santiago in France" since 1998 .

Your nave dates from the 12th century, the north aisle from the 13th century. Other parts of the building are more recent, especially since extensive reconstruction work was necessary after the destruction in 1569/70. The last construction phase took place with the reconstruction of the church tower, the demolition of the old west facade and an increase in the choir room from 1762–1775.

The baroque furnishings from the 18th century are remarkable , including the wooden paneling of the columns in the nave and the pulpit, which is decorated with rich carvings and gold leaf .

The most important sanctuary in the church is a colorfully painted wooden bust of the Apostle James from the 16th century. Today it is on display in a showcase .

Web links

Commons : Asquins  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• WHC Nomination Documentation (PDF, 88.9 MB!), Application documents for the World Heritage List, here: Section "Vézelay (Asquins-Fontette), Eglise Saint-Jacques d'Asquins"