Moissac Abbey
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Moissac Abbey was a
History
Foundation
According to legend, Moissac Abbey was founded by the Frankish king
Historical records however indicate that it was founded by
The establishment of the monastery was difficult because of raids by
11th century
The 11th century was a dramatic time for the abbey. In 1030 the roof collapsed from lack of maintenance, and in 1042 there was a serious fire.
A new
12th century
The 11th and 12th centuries were the first golden age, as Moissac was affiliated to the
During this era the abbey was led by major abbots Dom Hunaud de Gavarret and Dom Ansquitil, who had the doorway and tympanum built.[1] In the 13th century, Raymond de Montpezat, followed by Bertrand de Montaigut, abbots and builders, ruled the abbey. Aymeric de Peyrac, writing his Chronicle in the 15th century in the château of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave, describes these times.
Illuminated manuscripts produced in the monastery's scriptorium were taken to Paris by
15th century
The 15th century ushered in a new golden age under the rule of abbots Pierre and Antoine de Caraman, whose building programme included in particular the Gothic part of the abbey church. The 1626 secularization of the abbey caused the
French Revolution
In 1793, the French Revolution put an end to monastic life in Moissac. The abbey church of St Pierre is relatively intact and is still an active church,[8] but the outlying buildings have suffered considerably. In the middle of the 19th century, the laying of a railway track threatened the cloister but it was saved (though the refectory was demolished to facilitate the railway cutting) and listed as a historic monument. Since 1998 the church and cloisters have had international protection as part of a World Heritage Site, "Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France".[9]
Architecture
Architectural features of interest include the church's south-west portico, a crenellated structure with sculpture that is a major masterpiece of Romanesque art. This reflected an expansion of image carving both in scope and size, and extended the use of sculpture from the sanctuary to the public exterior.[10]
The
See also
References
- ^ a b c "St. Pierre Abbey", Moissac office du Tourisme
- ^ l'abbé Aymeric de Payrac dans sa chronique écrite (~1400), Paris Bibliothèque Nationale, ms. latin 4991-A, f.154 R, col. 1
- ^ E.Rupin, L'abbaye et les cloitres de Moissac, Picard, Paris, 1897, pp. 62–64
- ^ V.Mortet, Recueil de textes relatifs à l'histoire de l'architecture en France au Moyen Âge, XIe-XIIe siècle, Picard, Paris, 1911, pp. 146–148
- ^ Millénaire de Cluny (Mâcon, 1910), vol II, pp. 30–31
- ^ Pignot, Histoire de l'ordre de Cluny, vol II, p. 190
- ^ Léopold Delisle, Le cabinet des manuscrits, I, pp. 457–459
- ^ "Abbaye St Pierre de Moissac". Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
- ^ Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
- ISBN 9780801493041