If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 492

 

 

 

 

Chapel of St. Aurelianus, Limoges, France

 

Here is another used postcard sent recently by a friend.  The card is Editions Rene publication with a photograph by Chalou A.  The Chapel of St. Aurelianus is the small building, with a clock face, at the left of the picture. 

 

This chapel was built in 1471 to house the relics of Saint Aurelianus of Limoges who is believed to be the second bishop of Limoges.  According to local traditional lore, Aurelianus was originally a pagan priest who wanted to imprison St. Martial, the first bishop.  He was struck dead in his attempt to do so and Martial is supposed to have brought him back to life, baptized him as a Christian, ordained him a bishop, and consecrated him as bishop.  Aurelianus died sometime between the 1^st and 3^rd centuries. 

 

During the French Revolution the building was sold as a National Good to a member of the brotherhood of butchers.  Aurelianus is the patron saint of butchers.  Today the property held by the Confrérie Saint Aurélien, the successor organization of the ancient guild of butchers of Limoges.

 

In 1943 the chapel was listed as a Historic Monument. 

 Thank you, M, for sharing the card.

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurelian_of_Limoges

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapel_of_St._Aurelianus,_Limoges

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 491

 

 

 

 

 

Medieval bridge, La Creuse, France

 

This used postcard was part of the set of cards recently sent by a friend.  The card is “Photos Editions “France Regard, ref:  073” publication and has a photograph of a medieval bridge spanning the river Creuse. 

 

Once part of the County of Marche, Creuse is located in central France and was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution in 1790.  This is a traditionally rural area with no major urban center.  There are many heritage sites; however, including castles, abbeys, and Celtic stone monuments.  Tourist attractions also include a tapestry museum and wood carvings from the 17^th century.  A local legend is that Joan of Arc prayed in the Chapelle du Mas-Saint-jean in Saint-Suplice-le-Deunois in 1430. 

 

There are several hydroelectric dams along the river Creuse.  Electric power was brought in beginning around 1886. 

 Once again, thank you to my friend who sent the card.

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creuse

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 490

 

 

 

 

Valentine postcard, illustrated by C. Licht, ca 1913

 

Who doesn’t like to get a box full of Valentines?  These unused, reproduced cards date from between 1900 and 1920.  The one above has an illustration by C. Licht.  I found it, and the others shared this week, in the small shop, Laughing Elephant, where they make re-prints of many vintage cards, books and posters. 

 

 

Valentine, ca 1912

 

According to history.com, Americans probably began exchanging handmade Valentines in the early 1700s.  By the mid 1800s mass produced Valentines were being sold commercially.  Some had decorations of lace and ribbons.

 

 

Valentine illustrated by Ellen Clapsaddle, ca 1912

 

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14^th of February.  As a holiday it most likely originated prior to the death of any one of the three Christian martyrs called St. Valentine, and was associated with the Roman fertility celebration, Lupercalia, held on February 15th.  Lupercalia was deemed un-Christian by the end of the 5^th century and hence outlawed by the Catholic Church.  About the same time, Pope Gelasius declared the 14^th of February as St. Valentine’s Day.  

 

 

Valentine, ca 1914

 

 It was not until much later, in the middle ages, that it was believed that the beginning of birds’ mating season began around the 14^th of February.  That idea helped reinforce the idea of the holiday as a day of romance.  As early as the 1400s people were sending written love notes on St. Valentine’s Day.  The earliest Valentine love poem in existence today was written in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans to his wife when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.  That note is now part of the British Library collection in London, England.

 

 

Valentine, undated, ca 1910

 

During the early 1900s, when postcards were at their most popular period, cards such as the ones shared this week were a common Valentine’s greeting.  Today regular greeting cards have mostly replaced this type of postcard.

 

 

Valentine, ca 1910

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day

https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 489

 

 

 

Viaduc de Busseau, Creuse, New Aquitaine, France

This M.G. Editions used postcard has a photo by M. Gauthier showing a view of the steel truss rail bridge or viaduct at Creuse, France.  The number 23 138 003 appears at the lower left corner on the reverse. 

 

Built between 1863 and 1864 and spanning the Creuse River, the bridge is 338.7 m or 1,111 ft long, 8 m or 26 ft wide, and 56.5 m or 185 ft high.  The main support is 50 m or 164 ft tall.  The design for this bridge is patterned after the Grandfey viaduct in Sarine, Switzerland that was the first metal railway viaduct in continental Europe. 

 

The Creuse River flows into the Vienne River which then joins the Loire River before entering the Atlantic Ocean.  There are 6 hydroelectic dams on the Creuse.  The lakes formed by the dams are popular tourist destinations with beaches. 

 

Crosswind stability was a big factor in the design of the viaduct.  A second factor was the appearance of the bridge.  The picture shows all the cross beams used for the wind stability that are attractive looking as well as functional.  Constructing a metal bridge was about half the cost of a masonry viaduct.  The pillars and piers are anchored in a masonry base.  Cast iron was used for the piers.  Roller bearings on the abutments allow free expansion of the deck.  The deck was put in place by building a section on the ground and pushing the section into place by moving the deck forward one span at a time until it reached the next pile. The apron served as a runway for the crane during the assembly of the metal piles.  In 1905 the viaduct received a reinforced concrete deck.  The bridge sustained damage during World War II resulting in repairs in 1944 and 1945.  Originally there were two tracks today there is a single track.  The bridge was declared a Historic Monument in 1975.

 

 Thanks again to a friend who shared this card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viaduc_de_Busseau

 

[note:  there is an option for English translation]