Bayeux

The Bayeux Tapestry is remarkable for several reasons. The first is its sheer size. The original is 230 foot long and is so large that it is housed in a specially constructed museum in Bayeux, France. The second reason is it was never chopped apart. Often, tapestries were divided into small panels over the centuries for a variety of reasons, but not so with the Bayeaux tapestry. This particular scene shows William, Duke of Normandy, setting sail to battle King Harold for the throne in England. Here, his soldiers amass on the shores of France, loading onto ships for the journey across the channel. The resulting war was known as the Battle of Hastings, and took place in 1066. Shortly after the battle, William’s half-brother commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry to chronicle his brother’s exploits and stunning victory. It was the last time Britain was ever defeated by a foreign force. This tapestry is lined and has a tunnel for easy hanging.