Fontenay Abbey

There were three abbeys in the area near Flavigny in olden times, but only one has survived, Fontenay Abbey, one of France's best preserved. That's the good news. The bad news is that it was Cistercian, which means austerity in both art and architecture. It's a World Heritage Site, however, and well worth the visit. Its most interesting feature has little to do with all the prayer and devotion and study associated with monasteries and abbeys and such, however. Rather, it is of technological interest. In addition to the religious functions, abbeys were also engines of enterprise and innovation. Someone had to support all that prayer and devotion and study. Turns out Fontenay was a site of huge importance in metallurgy...next post.

Helpful aerial view in the ticket office

Huge old plane tree, planted 1780

In the abbey church; gravel floor in the nave

Nave and two aisles

Chancel

One of several burials in the chancel

Tile in the chancel

Abaft the beam

Cloister; pretty austere

Dormitory

Artsy view in the cnurch

Refectory

Rather little ornamentation

Looking toward the formal garden (later addition)

Pope Alexander III's bull recognizing Fontenay, 1168 

Such ornamentation as there is, in the museum/gift shop