Baptistère Saint-Jean
The Baptistère Saint-Jean is one of the most prominent examples of Merovingian architecture. This Roman Catholic church in Poitiers, France, functions as a baptistery. Visitors often come here to see a rare surviving piece of early religious construction, as the building is reputed to be the oldest existing Christian building in France. Because of its rarity and age, it is a classified historical monument. I usually find that the simple, ancient lines of the stone make it easy to imagine the city as it was centuries ago. It is a grounded, heavy place that feels very different from the more ornate cathedrals you might find elsewhere in the region. It is the kind of spot where the walls seem to hold the secrets of the city's earliest days.


















