Saint-Pierre Abbey, Airvault, France

The Saint-Pierre Abbey in Airvault was initially a collegiate church of regular canons of Saint Augustine, founded around 990 by Audéarde, wife of Viscount Herbert I of Thouars. As the canons were lax in following the rules of the Order of Saint Augustine, the Bishop of Poitiers decided to send a monk from the Augustinian abbey of Lesterps in Limousin to reform it. Pierre de Fonte Salubri (of Saine Fontaine) was appointed the first abbot of Airvault in 1096 and died on August 7, 1110. He undertook the construction of the abbey church. According to the Chronicle of Saint-Maixent, the church was consecrated in 1100 but subsequently underwent modifications and additions.

After the creation of the diocese of Maillezais in 1317, transferred to La Rochelle in 1648, the abbey became dependent on it.

During the Revolution a road was pierced through the abbey separating the convent buildings of the abbey. Several buildings are still visible as the room called the 'vat', the 'prison' (fortified gate), underground rooms, the fourteenth-century chapel and especially the abbey house which has hosted since 1975 the municipal museum.

User Reviews

Pierre Cornu (14 months ago)
Pretty little church in Airvault to see if you pass by in the old center which is also very pretty. The Saint-Pierre church is built on the site of an old collegiate church; the only remaining element of this collegiate church is a chapel, juxtaposed to the western massif of the current church, and which dates back to the 10th century. I recommend

Léo Péquin (15 months ago)
A magnificent Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. It is quite bright throughout the nave, but a little darker at the heart. It is truly beautiful and full of history.

Liz Bone (3 years ago)
Attractive very old church

Victoria Simmonds (5 years ago)
Great visit. If only we had had long

Chris ling (6 years ago)
Lots to recommend if your in the area.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright gwpics

Historic Site of the week

Abbey of Saint-Georges

Saint-Georges de Boscherville Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey. It was founded in about 1113 by Guillaume de Tancarville on the site of an earlier establishment of secular canons and settled by monks from the Abbey of Saint-Evroul. The abbey church made of Caumont stone was erected from 1113 to 1140. The Norman builders aimed to have very well-lit naves and they did this by means of tall, large windows, initially made possible by a wooden ceiling, which prevented uplift, although this was replaced by a Gothic vault in the 13th century. The chapter room was built after the abbey church and dates from the last quarter of the 12th century.

The arrival of the Maurist monks in 1659, after the disasters of the Wars of Religion, helped to get the abbey back on a firmer spiritual, architectural and economic footing. They erected a large monastic building one wing of which fitted tightly around the chapter house (which was otherwise left as it was).

Saint-Pierre 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

Abbey of Saint-Georges