Abbaye- An outstanding aux- heritage site Hommes Program 2019 The Abbaye-aux-Hommes, an architectural masterpiece of mediaeval art and 18th century The Abbaye-aux-Hommes was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror, and remains a beautiful monument containing a wealth of rich history. The Abbey Church of Saint Stephen, listed as a historic monument since 1840, reflects the past splendour of the Dukes of Normandy and is one of the world’s finest examples of 11th century Norman Romanesque art. The fact that William the Conqueror himself is buried in the choir of this church is testament to its glorious past. The Abbey has weathered a millennium of turbulent European history, rising phoenix like from the ashes of war and strife. The monastic buildings, for example, were rebuilt by Benedictine monks of the Congregation of Saint Maur following one such period. There have been no monks at the Abbaye-aux- Hommes since the French Revolution, but the Abbey has retained its splendour and importance well into modern times. In 1804, the monastic buildings became a college and were christened the Lycée Malherbe in 1892. It became a powerful symbol of freedom and brotherhood in the summer of 1944 too, when thousands of civilians sought refuge within its walls during the Allied bom- bardment of occupied Caen. Now a bastion of peace and tranquillity in the heart of the city, the Abbey opens its doors to visitors seeking the calm of the Tuscan-style cloister, the purity of its architecture and the rich decoration within. So come and visit with your family, your friends or a tour group and discover the splendour and majesty of this Abbey, one of the finest heritage sites in France. contents p. 4 An exceptional heritage site - William the Conqueror - Monastic buildings, 18th century halls and cloister - The Abbey Church of Saint Stephen… p. 6 Discover the Abbey Visit the Abbey (without a tour guide) and the permanent exhibition spaces - “1066-1204: An intimate glimpse of the Anglo- Norman, world” - “Caen, the summer of’ 44: Life goes on” p. 9 Guided tours The “Exceptional heritage site” tour Themed tours, with a “Travel through the centuries” - In the footsteps of the Conqueror: the birth of the Abbey - Monastic life in the 18th century, the Abbey in the throes of the Revolution - The Abbey… becoming the Lycée Malherbe - The summer of ’44: A haven in the chaos of war p. 15 This summer in the Abbaye-aux-Hommes CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE D-DAY LANDINGS, THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY AND THE LIBERATION OF CAEN - Guided tours, exhibitions, events and more p. 19 Useful informations p. 20 Visitors - Adult groups - School groups - Disabled visitors William the Conqueror, father of the Abbey William was born in Falaise in 1027 and was appointed the successor in 1035 to the throne of his father, the Duke. Around 1050, he married his distant cousin Mathilda of Flanders in a union opposed by the Church. As penitence, the pair founded two Abbeys: the Abbaye-aux-Dames, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, in honour of Saint Stephen. The first stones were laid in 1066, the year of William’s legendary conquest of England. The appointed successor to King Edward of England, William saw his crown usurped by the King’s brother-in-law Harold and took up arms to claim his rightful place on England’s throne. His efforts bore fruit in his victory at Hastings on 14 October 1066, paving the way for his coronation at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day and his new title, William the Conqueror. After his death, he returned to his native Normandy to be buried at the Abbey Church of Saint Stephen of Caen in 1087. The Abbey Church of Saint Stephen The tomb of William the Conqueror 4 The Abbey Church of Saint Stephen Consecrated in 1077, much of the Abbey Church of Saint Stephen was built in the 11th century; by far the oldest part of the Abbey, it was home to seven centuries of Benedictine monks. The choir was rebuilt in the 13th century in the Gothic style, and houses the tomb of William the Conqueror. The Church of Saint Stephen is a wonderful fusion of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and became a parish church in 1802. Even now, Sunday mornings the church resonate with Gregorian chants resounding in the choir, in an echo of its monastic past… Masses are still held within this church, which you can visit between 9am and 6pm during the week and between 2pm and 6pm on Sundays. The monastic buildings The Abbey was founded in the 11th century as an Abbey Church served by a whole series of buildings used by the Benedictine monks for prayer and eve- ryday monastic life. These buildings, however, were damaged so badly during the Wars of Religion in 1562 and 1563 that they could no longer house the Abbey’s monks, and were razed at the end of the 17th century to make way for the monastery you can see today. You can still see evidence of the prestige and organisation of the Abbey in the Middle Ages, in the remaining bakery, apple press, cart-house, Ducal Palace (a former hostelry now home to the Artothèque art gallery) and the Guards’ Hall (currently home to the Municipal Council). In the 18th century, the monks began rebuilding the monastic buildings to reflect the scale and height of the church. This was based around a central cloister, providing access to the Chapter room, the Sacristy, the Refectory and the Locutory. These spaces were preserved from the violence of the French Revolution and the aerial bombing raids in 1944, and still retain the magnificent 18th century decoration: wood carpentry, paintings, wrought iron, chandeliers and more… These offer a wonderful backdrop to Caen City Hall, which occupied the former Monastery buildings since 1965. 5 Self guided visit of the Abbaye-aux-Hommes “Discovery tour” (without a guide) All year round, you can take all the time you need to explore the cloister, the warming-house, the scripto- rium, the grand staircase and the gatehouse (you’ll be given a map when you buy your entrance ticket). The calefactory and the gatehouse are home to permanent exhibitions, which you can access with your entrance ticket. There are also regular temporary exhibitions at the scriptorium, so keep a look out when you come and visit. Opening hours From the 1st of April to the 30th of June, and from the 1st to the 30th of September (closed on the 1st of May) - Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 6pm - Friday, from 8am to 5pm - Weekends and public holidays from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm From the 1st of July to the 31st of August - Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6.30pm - Weekends and public holidays from 9.30am to 6pm From the 1st of October to the 31st of March (closed on the 25th of December, the 1st of January and all weekends in January) - Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 6pm - Friday, from 8am to 5pm - Saturday from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm - Sundays and public holidays from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm Please note that the ticket office will close 30 minutes before the visitor spaces. 6 Cloister Entrance: 4€ 3€ when there are no temporary exhibitions Free* for under 18’s, jobseekers and inhabitants of Caen Groups: see ticket prices and conditions (page 20). *Upon presentation of relevant identification (see entrance conditions). Don’t forget to pick + up the Heritage Collection book (on sale at the ticket desk for 5€) 7 Permanent exhibition spaces “1066-1204: An intimate glimpse of the Anglo-Norman, world” Calefactory William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy and King of England, made Caen “one of the most powerful cities of the era” in the 11th century. The Abbaye-aux- Hommes was one of the most important buildings of the time, on a level with the Ducal Castle and the Abbaye-aux-Dames. Step into the former monks’ calefactory and learn about the origins of the Abbey and how Caen grew from strength to strength. Here, you’ll find maps, texts and images, plus a facsimile of the Abbey’s confirmation charter and a reproduction of the seals of the Anglo-Norman kings, featuring the Conqueror himself and his descendants. “Caen, summer of ’44: Life goes on” Gatehouse In the chaos of the Battle of Caen and the terrible bombardments crashing over the city in June and July 1944, thousands of civilians sought shelter and refuge in the Abbaye-aux-Hommes. This exhibition in the Abbey’s former gatehouse pays homage to them though a series of photos, archive documents and personal items. Immerse yourself in the drama with audio and video interviews, and see how local Caen citizens drew on their courage and deter- mination to keep on living through the bombings. 8 Take a guided tour of the Abbaye-aux-Hommes The “Exceptional Heritage” guided tour (50 minutes) Discover the glory and history of the Abbey with a guided tour through the 18th century monastic rooms, cloister, guards’ rooms, apple press and Abbey Church. This tour is suitable for all visitors. The visit may be modified according to the time, availability of the spaces and minimum number of participants. No advance booking required*. Meeting point in the main entrance hall of the City Hall. *Depending on the schedule or other events in the Abbey, certain guided tours may be cancelled. Visitors will however be able to enter and visit the Abbey on a “discovery tour”.