Interior of Oradour-sur-Glane
Church
The photo above shows a side view of
the main altar and the wall behind it. In her book entitled "Martyred
Village," Sarah Farmer quoted a tour guide who said that
the main altar was made out of wood. In this photo, it appears
to be made out of stone. Two small logs have been placed between
the wall and the altar to keep tourists out. The space between
the wall and the altar is very narrow, no more than two feet
in width. Some books quote Madame Rouffanche as saying that she
used a stool to reach the window while other books quote her
as saying that she used a step ladder. The space between the
altar and the wall does not appear to be wide enough for a step
ladder.
According to the Official Publication
of the survivors, the bodies of 15 to 20 children were found
in the space behind the altar, which is shown in the photo above.
The photo below shows what is left of
the communion rail. Photos of the church immediately after the
massacre show the communion rail being intact, but parts of it
have apparently been taken as a sourvenir.
Stone steps, shown in the photo above,
probably lead up to the choir, which is no longer in existence.
Rustic wooden doors, such as the door in the photo above, have
been placed throughout the ruins to keep tourists from entering.
These stairs are located on the right side of the church, as
you face the altar.
The photo below shows the opening to
the stairs in the center of the picture. The baptismal font is
to the right of the window and a side altar is to the left of
the window.
The photo below shows a metal drain opening
in the stone floor of the church. According to a staff member
at the Center of Memory, this drain hole is part of the original
construction when the church was built in the 12th century. I've
seen many churches in Europe but none that has a drain in the
floor like the one shown in the photo below.
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