Ambronay Abbey
Ambronay Abbey (French: Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ambronay; Abbey of Our Lady, Ambronay) is a Benedictine abbey, founded in the 11th century by Barnard de Romans, which stands in the commune of Ambronay in the Ain department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
| Ambronay Abbey | |
|---|---|
| Abbey of Our Lady, Ambronay Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ambronay | |
 Cloister of Ambronay Abbey | |
  Ambronay Abbey Location in France | |
| 46.00656°N 5.36179°E | |
| Location | Ambronay, Ain |
| Country | France |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
History
A church was founded on the site by hermits in the 7th century, but this was destroyed by Saracens. A monastery was built here in around 803 by Saint Bernard of Vienne, the first abbot.
Most of the abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1793[1] but the church, although converted into stables, survived and is once again a place of worship.
Description
The surviving structures comprise a cloister and some buildings surrounding it, and the former abbey church, now the parish church of Ambronay. It is principally a Gothic building of the mid-13th century, with 15th-century additions, although the façade of one of the naves dates from the 9th century.
The church is regarded as a sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.[2]
Its excellent acoustics have led to its hosting the Ambronay Festival, an international festival of Baroque music.[3]
References
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia describes it as "one of the two candles of devotion to Our Lady in the Diocese of Belley".
- Festival d'Ambronay