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 The
Royal Abbey of
Fontevraud is a contradiction: it is a brand new XIIth century edifice! It
was originally built in 1101 as the headquarters of the monastic order of
Fontrevaud. It is the largest set of monastic buildings in France. It suffered
greatly after the revolution in 1789 and was turned into a prison. The Church
was divided into four floors of cells, and many of the buildings were left to go
to ruin. Recent restoration have given us a rebuilt structure, all clean and
white.
 Fontrevaud
was unique in that it harbored four separate communities, each with its own
Church, dormitory, refectory, and kitchen. There were priests and lay brothers,
contemplative nuns, lay sisters and lepers. The whole order was ruled by an Abbess,
often one of royal birth. At one time there were 123 dependant houses in France,
England and Spain.
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The large building is visible across the fields as one approaches. |
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The nave is clean, white stone. It looks brand new (and it probably is!) |
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One spot of color are the royal tombs of Henry II of England
(who got his start as Count of Anjou) and his wife Eleanor of Acquitaine (right)
and Richard the Lion-hearted with his sister-in-law Isabella of Angoulème.
Now go rent The
Lion in Winter. |
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The Abbess who created the chapter house, Louise de Bourbon, left her
mark. |
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In fact, many of the Abbesses had themselves painted in to the scenes
from the life of Christ that adorn the chapter house. |
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The kitchen is remarkable in that it is the only surviving Romanesque
kitchen. The kitchens were always separate buildings for fear of fire.
This one was all stone, including the roof. It was joined to the refectory
(dining hall) at a much later date. |
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