France: Abbey of Saint-Amand-de-Coly
The fortified church of the abbey in the tiny village of Saint-Amand-de-Coly is an impressive site, given that it dates back to 12th century. The structure is relatively simple, Romanesque with some gothic elements, but also starkly different from all the other overbuilt cathedrals. The interior is also very austere and dark, no tourists either. The church was fortified into a real fortress in the 14ty century with walls and ramparts, and holes for archers, and several blind staircases built to mislead attackers into running into stairs which lead to a dead end. The view from the elevated position on the walls overs a panorama of the village below.
