France - Normandy Day 2 - Bayeux Tapestry

Through these door sits the building that houses the Bayeux Tapestry. Although its actually embroidery on cloth (a tapestry is woven cloth) it measures almost 70 meters and is about a meter tall. It tells the story of the Norman conquest of England including the battle of Hastings. Think of it as a medieval comic book. It has frames, the important characters are all stitched the same way, and it has a continuing story line.

I'd like to show pictures of it but it is almost 1000 years old so no pictures are allowed. If you want to see what it looks like, click here. If you do come here to see the tapestry, get the audio guide and have your finger on the pause button. The explanations come fast and furious. There is also a section in the museum that talks about how the tapestry was constructed, the culture and history of the time, how arms and armor were made, fortifications and a short film tying it all together. Expect 2-3 hours for the full thing and the gift shop has some great items, including a comic book of the tapestry and cider!