Arthous Abbey, Hastingues, France

Arthous Abbey (formerly known as the Abbey of St. Mary of Arthous) was founded in 1167 in a deserted area bordering the Basque Country. The abbey belongs to the Order of Premonsterians.

The abbey was badly damaged due to religious wars in the 16th century. In particular, the Huguenots burned the choir of the church and canonical buildings in 1571, and the archives were eradicated.

The abbey church was built in a late Romanesque style and its monastery buildings reconstructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. They are an interesting example of modern canonical architecture. The abbey ceased to exist completely in 1791 and was used as a farm. A dilapidated church served as a barn. Almost nothing remained of the original monastic buildings except for the foundations of the western and northern walls.

In 2021, the Arthous Abbey is celebrating its origins and its collections which gave birth to the museum. The exceptional sculptures of prehistoric horses discovered in the 1960s in the neighboring town of Sorde-l'Abbaye, of which it is the custodian, are the subject of a photographic exhibition and a new space for promotion: the treasure room.

References:

all-andorra.com

User Reviews

marc bonnan (2 years ago)
Informative and fun visit to this abbey to see with its sister Sordes abbey

Benoit Trevisi (2 years ago)
It is a small site which will take you 1 hour 30 minutes, a stone's throw from the A64 exit, a pretty abbey which has lost its cloister but which presents a coherent whole with the monks' accommodation and its outbuildings. A free visit with a coherent meaning and lots of information. The place is cool and relaxing, the church has been converted into a temporary exhibition room. A nice stop

Karine Lheritier (2 years ago)
An abbey with a very interesting history, guides who take us through their visits and very well done exhibitions even and especially for children with digital, manual and visual interaction

Andy Trumper (2 years ago)
Had a walk around the outside could not get inside as it was closed as it was a bank holiday which was weird

Véro Daluz (3 years ago)
An interesting place but I have not at all found the atmosphere that you think you can find in such a place. On the other hand a beautiful exhibition in the church, a little surprising.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Mark1792

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.

Arthous Abbey

Address

Details

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle