Beaulieu Abbey

beaulieu EN_beaulieu 15/11/12 18:18 Page1

History Visit A Cistercian abbey Information History Visit A Cistercian abbey Information History Visit A Cistercian abbey Information ▲ ▲ ▲ English An example of a Cistercian abbey Glossary Beaulieu Abbey The Cistercian order Albigensian Crusade: a religious war waged against the Cathars in the south of France in Sober architecture and contemporary art The order was founded by Robert de Molesmes the early 13th century. in 1098 with the intention of restoring strict Cisterican order: a Benedictine monastic order From Cistercian Abbey... observance of the rule written by Saint Benedict relating to Cîteaux Abbey. of Nursia in the 6th century. The founder Cluniac: relating to Cluny Abbey, head of The abbey, founded by Adhémar III, Bishop of believed that the luxury with which the Cluniacs* a Benedictine monastic order which became Rodez in 1144, belonged to the Cistercian order*. served God was detrimental to their spiritual powerful throughout Europe from the 10th During the Albigensian crusade*, the first life. The development of the order owes much century onwards. church was destroyed, probably by routiers*. to the charisma of Saint Bernard (1090-1153), Hagioscope: opening in a wall facing the altar, It was rebuilt from 1275 onwards. a Clairvaux monk who defended asceticism and the sacred part of the church. During the Wars of Religion*, the abbey was plain, strict liturgy, without any ostentatious In commendam: direct appointment of an abbot devastated and later partly raised up from its ornamentation - the same principle that was by the king, contrary to the principle of election ruins. It was gradual- carried over into the architecture. recommended in the rules. ly abandoned after Prosper Mérimée (1803-1870): one of the first the institution of in Uniform organisation inspectors of historical monuments. commendam* in the Routier: armed mercenaries who pillaged under The church 17th century. Each abbey affiliated to the order lived off the authority of a gang leader. pour plaire. Tout at the end of the 18th The abbey was sold its own resources, which were essentially Squinch: a vault supporting section allowing a 2013. janvier Stipa, century as national property agricultural and community-based. progression from a square to a circular shape. illustration in 1791 and became a farm. The church,

The land assets were enriched by gifts and Wars of Religion: civil wars between Protestants impression bequeathed to the town of Saint-Antonin-Noble- legacies. The monks shared their time between and Roman Catholics, which tore France apart Val, was to be moved there stone by stone. prayer and spiritual work. The lay brothers during the second half of the 16th century. Prosper Mérimée* denounced the absurdity of were responsible for domestic chores as well this project, which was finally abandoned. Caractères et cætera. Caractères as work in the fields and within the enclosure. Practical information The abbey church was listed as a historic Outside, the specialist barns (workshop, cattle, monument in 1875. etc.) played their part in the rational farming Average length of visit: 1 hour. traduction Specific facilities for disabled visitors. of the estate. The Cistercian world made beau fixe. ...to contemporary art a huge contribution to clearing new farmland

in the 12th and 13th centuries. réalisation In 1959, Pierre Brache and Geneviève Bonnefoi The monastery buildings were organised Centre des monuments nationaux undertook restoration work with the help of according to an immutable plan: Beaulieu Abbaye de Beaulieu the State. In 1973, their collection of art from 82330 Ginals

Abbey, the 45th foundation of the Cistercian Anders. Plein Sens, tél. 05 63 24 50 10 / 05 63 24 50 13 the 1940s to the present day was left, along order*, is a fine example of this. with the abbey, to the Caisse nationale des © Ministère de la Culture – Médiathèque du patrimoine, dist. RMN / Médéric Mieusement. RMN / Médéric Mieusement. dist. – Médiathèque du patrimoine, de la Culture © Ministère www.monuments-nationaux.fr monuments historiques et des sites, now known as the Centre des monuments nationaux. crédits photos conception graphique

*Explanations overleaf. *Explanations overleaf. beaulieu EN_beaulieu 15/11/12 18:18 Page4

History Visit A Cistercian abbey Information ▲

The abbey church The lay building 4 N The church is 56 metres long and 10 metres wide. In the Middle Ages, there was a passageway 1 The facade is decorated with a seven-pointed rose 6 3 57 8 linking the lay building to the nave of the abbey window and a doorway on which the style of the church, especially for the lay people, so that sculpted characters indicates the period during they could attend the services separately from which the building work was completed - the monks. This passageway in the west wing the early 14th century. 2 910 of the cloisters was called the ‘lay alley’. 2 The nave is very pure gothic from the second half 11 The Gothic cellar, built in the second half of the of the 13th century. It is remarkable for its height 13th century, remains intact. It was used as a wine and its 8-metre tall, high, narrow windows. Its cellar in the 19th century. Only the floor slab was plainness is characteristic of Cistercian architecture. changed; the marks on the concrete show where Clear glass has thus been chosen to represent the barrels were kept. The ceiling has ten cross the old windows, which most probably did not 1 ribs, resting in the middle on four round columns, 11 originally include coloured patterns. with capitals decorated with highly stylised flat 3 Above the transept intersection there is leaves, characteristic of the plain decorations a beautiful ribbed vault with eight radiating of the Cistercians*. The ribs are square and To 1 2 segments on squinches*, with light from four rose To 1 3 the keystones sculpted with geometric patterns. windows. 12 The old dormitory, on the first floor, is a 4 In the choir, light is provided by seven lancet reminder that the communal living conditions of windows. There are three more rose windows at the dormitory, whose roof, which was raised in the lay brothers were similar to those of the monks. the ends of the nave and the two transept wings. the 17th century, enclosed the rose window in The church therefore had seven rose windows in the southern transept of the church, in the form The contemporary art collection all - an important figure in Christian symbolism. of a star of David. The Paschal lamb is sculpted on the keystone of 7 In the sacristy, on the ground floor, there are a Pierre Brache and Geneviève Bonnefoi, who took the choir. few remains of the stones of the former cloisters. a keen interest in the art of their time, built up 5 In the south chapel, a high door leads to 8 The chapter house is the oldest room in the abbey. a rich and varied collection, including works by the dormitory: the monks came this way to night It was built in the 13th century and is the most Dubuffet, Hantaï, Michaux, Degottex, Viera Da services. A hagioscope* enabled sick monks archaic in form, with its large columns without Silva and others. A new donation was added to to follow the services from a distance. capitals and massive square arches decorated with this collection in 1981. 6 Near the gate of the dead, to the north, a cross- old colours and geometric patterns. ribbed keystone represents the hand of God. 9 The site of the cloisters, built in the 14th 13 The large pond, used to breed trout, has been Well after its listing in 1875, the church was used century, is marked on the ground by a paved strip. (not on plan) replenished with trout and carp. as a stable, and later as a fodder barn. 10 The south building used to house the kitchen, monks’ refectory, warming room and scriptorium. The monastery buildings It was raised in the 17th century and converted into an abbey house, with turrets built on either The east building was reserved for the monks side a century later. It now houses residential and included the essential rooms for their daily premises and administrative offices. and spiritual life. On the first floor, there was

*Explanations overleaf.