History crosses the Channel: Bayeux Tapestry returns to Britain after 1,000 years
The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived in the United Kingdom for the first time since its creation nearly 1,000 years ago, Qazinform News Agency has learnt from the British Museum.
Under police escort from a secure location in northern France, the celebrated embroidery was delivered to the British Museum’s loading bay. It will go on public display this September.
Stretching 70 meters in length, the 11th-century masterpiece illustrates in 58 vivid scenes the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the subsequent Norman Conquest a turning point that reshaped England’s history.
Despite its name, the Bayeux Tapestry is not a tapestry but a linen cloth embroidered with colored wool. It depicts the dramatic struggle between William, Duke of Normandy (later William the Conqueror) and Harold II, King of England, capturing the clash that determined the nation’s fate.
The work reportedly crossed the Channel via the Eurotunnel before being transported to central London under cover of darkness.
Its nine-month loan is supported by the French government, following an agreement reached last year between President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the international exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: Genus of the Renaissance” had opened in Kazakhstan’s Astana this May.
