Ben Hammott's Rennes-le-Chateau Research - Serres Church

Serres Church Exterior

Photograph of Serres Church Entrance will be posted here soon.

Serres located on the Cassini Map.

Rennes-le-Chateau Church

The design of Serres Church is very similar to the design of Saunière's Rennes-le-Chateau Church.

At the back of Serres Church is the 'Door of the Dead.'

In Medieval times, an opening, usually a doorway of some kind was set in the north wall of churches and was known as a 'Door of the Dead'. This architectural feature can on occasion still seen in some of the Roman churches in the Languedoc region, which include this one at Serres and also Rennes-le-Château. These types of doors were systematically walled in at the time of the construction of the sanctuary. Its use was symbolical, reserved for the souls of the deceased; it was the gate that the soul used to take from its mortal remains during the funerary ceremony and go to the other world. This concept of a '“false door' is very old and examples exist in ancient Egyptian tombs and elsewhere.
The door was solely meant for the souls of the dead and to make sure that the living would not use it, it was built and then sealed leaving the shape of the opening visible as in the above picture.

This cross carved in stone appears above the Door of the Dead.

The cemetery that was once part of the church was on this side but it is now a grassed over area, but still lumps of stone can be seen poking through, perhaps parts of ancient gravestones. The cemetery is now situated across the road, where presumably all the old tombs and their inhabitants have been moved to.

Sauniere Signature

The graffiti in the porch entrance to Serres church includes Saunière's signature.

Is this proof that Berenger Sauniere visited the church?

Serres Meridian plaque.

This plaque is located in the square outside the church. it marks the Meridian line running from Dunkirk to Barcelona. There is another plaque nearby, across the road beside an old arched bridge.

Serres Bridge opposite Serres Church spanning the river Sals towards Pech Cardou.

Serres Chateau

Serres Well

This well is situated near the Old Serres Mill across the road from Serres church. I had heard a rumour that an old well in the area led to an underground passage leading into Mount Cardou. After finding this well I checked it out. As you can see from the photograph above, no passage exists to anywhere. The well is dry and the earth in the bottom is solid.

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