Bayeux Attractions

Venue: Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux    When: Daily

The world's most famous tapestry, on display in its own museum in Bayeux, is a feat of human endeavour depicting a troubled time in English and Norman history. As many as 632 men, 202 horses, 55 dogs and 41 ships are woven into the tapestry to portray the Norman conquest.

Like many legendary masterpieces, the origins of the Bayeux Tapestry are shrouded in mystery. French and English have argued for years over the country of origin of the piece, which includes scenes both public and private from the conflict of 1066. The common conclusion today is that the tapestry was commissioned by Bishop Odo and completed by the women of Canterbury, a town noted for its aptitude at crafts.

Despite its name, the piece is not a tapestry as such, but more an embroidery. Wool threads cover panels of linen stretching 70 metres long and 50 centimetres wide, though it is widely acknowledged that several panels have been lost at some juncture.

The scenes portrayed cover the full story of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William came from Normandy to defeat Harold's armies. Scenes of preparation and intrigue precede the battle sequence, in which William's archers are seen firing into the air. This decisive manoeuvre was to clinch the battle for the Normans, as the arrows flew above the shield guard and caused massive casualties among Harold's ranks, enabling French knights to penetrate the defence and kill the king. Harold can be seen having his limbs forcibly removed in one of the panels.

The tapestry itself has enjoyed an equally violent existence, threatened several times with destruction at times when cloth was at a premium (during the Napoleonic era, plans were even made to use the backing for civic decorations!) and saved only by the dedication of a handful of concerned individuals. English intervention at the turn of the century enabled the mapping and renovation of this exceptional piece of human history.