Aubrac Hospital
| Aubrac Hospital | ||
|---|---|---|
 The village of Aubrac with the old hospice |
||
| Alternative name (s): | Dômerie d'Aubrac | |
| Creation time : | 1120 | |
| Construction: | Natural stone masonry (basalt) | |
| Place: | Aubrac | |
| Geographical location | 44 ° 37 ′ 19 ″ N , 2 ° 59 ′ 10 ″ E | |
| Height: | 1285 m above sea level NN | |
|
||
The Aubrac Hospital is part of the former Dômerie d'Aubrac monastery and was founded by lords of the counties of Rouergue and Gevaudan to protect the pilgrims who crossed the Aubrac during the Middle Ages . It is located in the hamlet of Aubrac, which belongs to the commune of Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac in the French region of Occitania in the Aveyron department . Even today it is on the GR 65 long-distance hiking trail , which largely follows the historical course of the French Way of St. James, Via Podiensis .
geography
The Aubrac Hospital is located in the Massif Central in the Aubrac area and belongs to the commune of Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac. It is located on the D987 between Nasbinals and Saint-Côme-d'Olt in the Lot Valley.
The Aubrac used to be covered by dark, deep forests, inhabited by wolves and wild boars. The wilderness was cut by a single road, the famous Roman Via Agrippa that linked Lyon with Toulouse . Snow and fog made orientation particularly difficult, especially in winter. Robber bands also made the area unsafe in the Middle Ages, so it is no wonder that the area was feared by pilgrims. Adalard, a nobleman from Flanders, described the area of Aubrac as a "place of horror and loneliness" .
history
In 1120 the nobleman "Adalard Eyne, servant of the Count of Flanders", who was on the pilgrimage from Le Puy-en-Velay to Santiago de Compostela , was attacked by bandits at the highest point of his journey. At the same point, a huge snow storm surprises him. He regards the fact that he is avoiding both dangers as a sign from God. He therefore vows to build a hospice with a church to protect pilgrims. The first hospice, Hospice Notre-Dame des Pauvres , is founded by Adalard and his helpers. For many centuries travelers, pilgrims and the poor of the region have been cared for here.
With the establishment of the hospice, the gentlemen of the country have received considerable donations, so that they leave some areas for administration to him.
During his lifetime he handed over all the facilities to Abbot Boniface. After Adalard's death in 1135, the monastic community took over the hospice and ran it as a monastery according to the rules of St. Augustine . The monk knights of the hospitalier take over the protection of the facility and the paths.
The monastery consisted of an area secured by a wall, in which the church, hospice, pilgrims' hostel and other buildings as well as a cemetery were located. In the early 14th century, 120 brothers and 30 sisters served in the monastery. Four knights protect the streets and 15 priests were responsible for the worship.
The hiker entered the complex through the main gate, which was called the "gate of the loaves of bread". In the heyday of the pilgrimage, up to 5000 loaves of bread were distributed here a day.
After a slow decline, there was no longer an abbot in the 18th century . The headmaster is called the cathedral and only had 80 helpers.
The monastery was closed in the 19th century.
today
Only a mighty square tower, the Tour des Anglais from 1353, and the Romanesque church Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres are preserved today. The church captivates with its simplicity and two meter thick stone walls. In her tower was the fog bell "Maria", also called "Bell of the Lost". It sent its piercing sound over the inhospitable plateaus to show stray hikers the way to safety.
Way of St. James ( Via Podiensis )
In the small town of Aubrac, which surrounds the monastery, there is a tourist information office, hotels and restaurants, as well as several pilgrim hostels (French: Gîte d'étape ). There is also a hostel for hikers in the Tour des Anglais . The further course of the Camino de Santiago leads via Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac into the Lot Valley. The D987 leads there as a direct road connection .
literature
- Bettina Forst: French Way of St. James. From Le Puy-en-Velay to Roncesvalles. All stages - with variants and height profiles. Bergverlag Rother, Munich (recte: Ottobrunn) 2007, ISBN 978-3-7633-4350-8 ( Rother hiking guide ).
- Bert Teklenborg: Cycling along the Camino de Santiago. From the Rhine to the western end of Europe. (Cycling guide, route planner). 3rd revised edition. Publishing House Tyrolia, Innsbruck 2007, ISBN 978-3-7022-2626-8 .
Web links
- Pictures from the Aubrac Hospital ( Memento from January 31, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
- Information about the region (French)
- Along the Via Podiensis
← Previous location: Nasbinals 9 km | Aubrac Hospital | Next town: Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac 6 km →