The French ‘Excalibur’ has disappeared from a rock in which it has been trapped for the past 1,300 years.
The famous Durandal sword is believed to have been stolen from the southern village of Rocamadour, despite the fact that it was found wedged and chained to the stone 9 metres high.
The clifftop village has lost its beloved tourist attraction as a result. Mayor Dominique Lenfant says locals feel like they have lost a part of themselves.
Police have launched an investigation, but officers still do not understand how the mystical sword could have been taken. The sword was high up and difficult to find in the rock face next to the shrine.
The famous Durandal sword (pictured) is believed to have been stolen from the southern village of Rocamadour, despite being found wedged and chained to the stone 32 feet up
Durandal was wielded by Roland, a legendary knight, and the sword’s magical powers are mentioned in the 11th century poem The Song of Roland
Mayor Lenfant said the city was devastated, reported The Telegraph.
“We’re going to miss Durandal. It’s been part of Rocamadour for centuries and there’s no guide who doesn’t point it out when he visits,” she said. The Dispatcha French newspaper.
‘Rocamadour feels like a part of itself has been taken away, but even though it is a legend, the fate of our village and this sword are intertwined.’
According to legend, the sword could not be broken and could cut through boulders with a single blow because it was the sharpest blade in existence.
According to a myth, it was first given to Emperor Charlemagne by an angel, after which his nephew Roland, a legendary knight, used it.
Durandal is mentioned in the 11th century poem The Song of Roland. The epic speaks of the sword’s magical powers and says it contains a tooth of St. Peter, the blood of St. Basil, and the hair of St. Denis.
It is said that Roland, shortly before his death at the Battle of Roncevaux, tried to break the sword on a rock, to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Saracen army against which he had fought bravely.
Finally, he threw it into a valley, where it miraculously flew for miles, eventually getting stuck in the cliff of Rocamadour.
