Sainte-Marie de Lagrasse Abbey
The Abbey of Sainte-Marie de Lagrasse , also called Sainte-Marie d'Orbieu, is a regulated canon monastery of the regular canons of Lagrasse and is located in the French commune of Lagrasse in the Aude department in the Occitania region , about 30 km southeast of Carcassonne .
From the history of the monastery
The previous building, a simple monastery whose founding date is unknown, was built in 779 on behalf of Charlemagne by the first abbot Nebridius, who later became Archbishop of Narbonne .
The abbey became the first religious center in Languedoc . Therefore she was under the special protection of the emperor. The abbey possessions acquired through donations ranged from Albi in the north to Saragossa in the south.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, during the crusade against the Cathars , the abbots of Sainte-Marie played a balancing role. Thanks to the efforts of Abbot Benoît d'Alignan , the cities of Béziers and Carcassonne were able to make peace with the church and King Ludwig , who showed his appreciation for this.
Some fragments of an earlier portal , which are attributed to the master of Cabestany (a sculptor from the 12th century whose name is unknown) or to his workshop, bear witness to the abbey's originally rich furnishings .
In the 13th and 14th centuries, however, the abbey went through a period of decline caused by the Hundred Years War . The abbey church was therefore protected against looting and attacks in the 14th century under Abbot Auger de Gogenx by fortifications that have been preserved to this day. In the 15th century, the monastery flourished thanks to the artistic activities of Abbot Pierre d'Abzac de la Douze. In 1502 a secular administration was established. In the 16th century, Abbot Philippe de Lévis began building a large bell tower, which remained unfinished after his death in 1537. In 1662 the monastery was joined to the Saint-Maur order.
In 1721 Armand Bazin de Bezons , later Bishop of Carcassonne, became Commendatarabbot in Lagrasse. Through his initiative, the monastery was fundamentally redesigned. A court of honor was built, new convent buildings added and a cloister laid out in the classical style. As a result, the Lagrasse Abbey is still one of the rare monastery complexes in which medieval and classicist elements are combined.
In 1792, during the French Revolution , despite popular resistance, the monastery was closed and the monks were expelled. The buildings were looted and sold in two parts. The division is still there today.
In 1894 a small community of nuns settled in the buildings again. To this day there is religious life in the monastery.
gallery
Monastery building
Apses of the church
overall view
Classicist cloister
Web links
Coordinates: 43 ° 5 ′ 25 ″ N , 2 ° 37 ′ 1 ″ E