Legend has it that when the tall, twin spires of Caen's eglise St-Etienne fall, so will the kingdom of England. Perhaps, that's why the British created a perimeter around the church to keep it from being destroyed in World War II. The connection between Caen and Britain is deep and historical. The city was home to William the Conqueror in the 11th century, before he became King of England. Visitors to Caen can visit his chateau at the Porte de Ville, and see other evidence of his legacy in the city's churches and monasteries.
This typical, northern French provincial town, situated just off the Orne river, was the scene of the Normandy landings in June of 1944. It was from here that the Allies hoped to capture the crucible of Normandy, which would afford them a straight, open march to Paris. The Germans, however, put up a real fight, and therefore Caen was subject to heavy Allied bombings, reducing the city to rubble. Very little of the town's historic architecture survived, though two excellent examples of Norman Romanesque architecture do remain in the abbeys that were built by William the Conqueror.
William the Conqueror married his cousin, and so feared this would prevent his acceptance into the kingdom of heaven, that he built two abbeys to try to make up for it. The Abbaye aux Dames (women's abbey), with its dual towers, was said to be built by his wife, Mathilda, as part of her effort towards the couple's expiation. The more ornate of the two churches is the Abbaye aux Hommes (men's abbey), with its conical spires, is another fine example of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. The monastery of the abbey now houses the Caen city hall, and the St-Etienne church is open to the public, offering regular guided tours.
The other legacy of the Normandy landings is that the region is full of war memorials. This city, however, is home to something more unique, with the Mémorial de Caen. The memorial with its many flags flying, is a peace museum. Look out for the non-violance sculpture in the gardens of a gun with the shaft twisted off into a knot. The museum also organises tours of the D-day landing beaches. Nearby to the Mémorial is the beautiful garden at the Colline aux Oiseaux (bird hill), on avenue Amiral Mountbatten. Here, you can stroll lush, manicured gardens, with a number of specialist sections, such as a large rose garden. Be sure to also spend time touring the many splended Renaissance private townhouses of Caen, such as Hôtel d'Escoville in the place Saint Pierre, which is now home to the Caen Office de Tourisme, and
Hotel de Mondrainville on rue de la Monnaie
