Some hold the view that it is all a hoax. Others are great enthusiasts and believers of the Rennes-le-Château’s mysterious stories that have taken the world by storm in the past decades. Whichever of the sides you fall into, it doesn’t in anyway take the fact away that Rennes-le-Château remains a beautiful and inspiring place for visitors. Those who have made a visit to the small hilltop village have made varied views of their experiences in the village.
Some locations give more mystical feelings than others. When next you plan a visit and crave to have a great feeling beyond the natural, there are locations you can’t but get the mystic feeling when in Rennes-le-Château.
The Mary Magdalene’s Church
The church in Rennes-le-Château is very significant to the history of Rennes-le-Château. It is believed to have been founded by the biblical Mary Magdalene. To some school of thought in the entire Rennes-le-Château story, Mary Magdalene was believed to have moved to Rennes-le-Château with her children and claimed she was married to Jesus. Whether true or not, this partly contributes to the mystic feeling and why some people come visiting the Saint Mary Magdalene Church in this epic small village in the south of France.
When in the church, you’ll be greeted with a variety of strange things around. You’ll be warned right from the entrance with inscriptions such as “This place is terrible or in some translations, awe.” This means it is a strong, powerful and great place. You should also look out for some hidden messages that are engraved in stones. Tourists should know that the mysteries about the hidden treasures began here in the church when it was undergoing renovation work.
The Original Carolingian Altar Pillar
The pillar that supported the altar in the church was believed to have come from the Carolingian era between the 8th and 9th century. It was reported that Sauniere found a parchment in the hollow space of the engraved pillar. The number of parchments was put at four in total. The first of the parchments is believed to contain Latin text sections of Matthew XII -1-8, Mark II -23-28 and Luke VI-1-5. The second is believed to contain writings of the visit of Jesus to Lazarus in Bethania extracted from the gospel of John. The other is two genealogies both of Dagobert II, with dates from 1244 and 1644.
Many speculations have arisen from the placement of the pillar. Some researchers believe the pillar marks the outer wall of the crypt of the Eglise Madeleine. Judging from the Christian inscription of a cross decorated with branches and jewels, it is more of Carolingian than Visigoth origin.
The original pillar that once supported the altar of the church now plays a new role in the church. The size is reduced to support Our Lady of Lourdes statue that Sauniere installed at the garden by the church in 1891. The intriguing story behind the hollow in the pillar and the floor of the original pillar where it was claimed Sauniere hit gold makes visiting this spot a memorable one to take along when you leave the village. First-time visitors will particularly find this place a great one.
The Presbytery
Father Sauniere lived in the Presbytery in his lifetime. He did some renovation work at the place. The presbytery is now turned into a museum and called the Berenger Sauniere’s Museum. There you’ll find everything you need to know about his life in the presbytery including his bedroom. When Father Sauniere died in 1917, his housekeeper, Marie Denarnaud occupied the place and only receives few visitors. She sold the place to the Corbu family with a clause to keep living in the property until her death. Entering into the bedroom that was formerly Sauniere’s will send some shivers through your nerves considering the sacred and mysteries connected to the man who once lived there.
There are other historic places with mystic feelings that rank among the top 10 spiritual places in the world besides this small village at the hilltop called Rennes-le-Château.