Overview

Hype:

The Bayeux Tapestry or Bayeux Embroidery is an embroidered cloth nearly 230 ft long and 20 in tall, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. The tapestry consists of some fifty scenes with Latin tituli, embroidered on linen with coloured woollen yarns. It is likely that it was commissioned by Bishop Odo, Williams half-brother, and made in England—not Bayeux—in the 1070s. In 1729 the hanging was rediscovered by scholars at a time when it was being displayed annually in Bayeux Cathedral. The tapestry is now exhibited at the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Bayeux, Normandy, France. The designs on the Bayeux Tapestry are embroidered rather than woven, so that it is not technically a tapestry. Nevertheless, it has always been called a tapestry until recent years, when the more correct name "Bayeux Embroidery" has gained ground among art historians. The tapestry can be seen as the final and best known work of Anglo-Saxon art. Such tapestries adorned both churches and wealthy houses in England, though the Bayeux Tapestry is exceptionally large. Only the figures and decoration are embroidered, on a background left plain, which shows the subject very clearly and was necessary to cover large areas.

Time:

Fees: Entrance Fee

Recommended Ages:

0-3
4-11
12-19
20-49
50-69
70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Features:
  • Museums

Links: http://www.bayeuxmuseum.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/

Getting There

Navigate to 49.274346, -0.699987.

Location

Closest City or Region: Bayeux, France

Coordinates: 49.274346, -0.699987

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August 13, 2017 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Greg Dye, Laura Dye,

Story

This was one of the coolest things we saw on the trip. They give you a headset that tells you the story of William the Conquerer as you walk past the tapestry. It was very well done.

Pictures