The Oldest Tree in France Is Actually a Charming Chapel
It looks like something Dr. Seuss might have dreamt up, but this tree-turned-chapel has a story that's much older than The Cat in the Hat. The spindly oak can be found in Allouville-Bellfosse, France, and experts estimate that it is between 800 and 1200 years old (that's potentially a thousand years older than America itself, to put its age in context).
According to local lore, the tree once suffered a lightening strike, but instead of burning completely, the blast only left the core hollow. A priest determined that the unlikely event must have been a holy miracle, and the heart of the tree has been a chapel ever since (and in later years a second one was added on top).
Though the oak has certainly weathered over time, it has never lost its charming allure, and many people make pilgrimages to see it each year.
Take a closer look, and watch the video (via Animal Planet) for a peek inside:
TELL US: What do think of this intriguing tree chapel?
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[via Inhabitat]
Photos: Wikimedia users Ji-Elle and La ghola
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