Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, Auxerre, France

The Abbey of Saint-Germain d"Auxerre was a Benedictine monastery dedicated to its founder Saint Germain of Auxerre, the bishop of Auxerre, who died in 448. The abbey reached the apex of its cultural importance during the Carolingian era; the source for its early history is an account of the Miracula Sancti Germani Episcopi Autissiodorensis ('Miracles of Saint Germain, Bishop of Auxerre') written before ca. 880. The earliest surviving architectural remains are also of the ninth century.

In 1927, beneath the 17th-century frescoed plaster walls of the crypt, were discovered ninth-century wall frescoes, the only surviving large-scale paintings of their date in France to compare to the illuminated manuscripts.

During the Revolution, several bays of the nave were demolished and the secularized abbey was used as a hospital. The former nave extended beneath the present forecourt.

In the late twentieth century the abbey"s residential and service buildings were remodeled as a museum, presenting prehistoric, Gallo-Roman and medieval finds from Auxerre. An exhibition in 1990 brought the abbey"s cultural impact into focus. The former abbey church remains in use for worship at stated times.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Place Saint-Germain 2B, Auxerre, France

See all sites in Auxerre

Details

Founded: 9th century
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Frankish kingdoms (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Auxerre Cathedral (0,3 km)

Saint Madeleine Chuch (66,6 km)

User Reviews

Dianne Pepler-Norton (19 months ago)
The Abbey is free to wonder around. You can however pay for a guided tour if you wish.

Bob Jones (2 years ago)
A very interesting place with ongoing exhibitions of various disciplines and artists. Recommended

Khaivien Thach (2 years ago)
Great experience. Some of the oldest cultural pieces in France. Very knowledgeable guide for the tour of the crypt.

Erniyati Fun (2 years ago)
Abaye or Abbey a word to name a building, where nuns live in the past time. This St. Germain in Auxerre is one of the oldest in town. It serve as a museum as well. On the other side of the building seem a little lack of maintenance but still very beautiful and classic, the inner side has a small museum, there are some sculptures from famous artist, those sculptures look almost like real life. There is also, some old jewelleries, pottery and etc. Surround the building you can walk into old street with many old traditional house. Definitely is a must visit place if you visit Auxerre

Art Buy (4 years ago)
Lots of interesting old relics

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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).

Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre