English: The Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France.
Français: Illustration de « L'abbaye de Fontenay et l'architecture cistercienne ».
Date: 18 March 2016.
Source: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5619222s
Author: Lucien Bégule (1912).
(Wikimedia Commons)
"Miserere"
Composed by: Allegri.
Sung by: The Tallis Scholars.
Available on YouTube at
unless stated otherwise.
The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian Abbey located in the Commune of Marmagne, near Montbard, in the Département of Côte-d'Or, in France.
The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian Abbey located in the Commune of Marmagne, near Montbard, in the Département of Côte-d'Or, in France.
It was Founded by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118, and built in The Romanesque Style. It is one of the oldest and most complete Cistercian Abbeys in Europe, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
Of the original complex, comprising Church, Dormitory, Cloister, Chapter House, Caldarium, Refectory, Dovecote, and Forge, all remain intact except the Refectory and are well maintained.
The Abbey of Fontenay, along with other Cistercian Abbeys, forms a connecting link between Romanesque Architecture and Gothic Architecture.
The Cloisters, Fontenay Abbey, France.
Photo: 16 March 2008.
Source: Own work.
Author: Jjpetite
(Wikimedia Commons)
In The Late-11th-Century, during the heyday of The Great Abbey of Cluny III (the magnificent and renowned Benedictine Monastery, in Cluny, France), although Cluny had numerous followers, Saint Robert of Molesme, the subsequent Founder of Cîteaux Abbey, led a strong reaction against it.
Saint Robert thought that Cluny was against the actual Rule of Saint Benedict: “To work is to Pray”. As a result, Saint Robert, along with a group of Monks who shared this belief, detached from Cluny.
Saint Robert established The Order of Cistercians, in Citeaux, France. The new Order strictly observed The Rule of Saint Benedict. As part of this Rule, Monks had to be Poor and live a simple life. In order not to be distracted from The Religious Life, Cistercians built self-sufficient Monasteries in isolated areas and refused to use servants.
Saint Robert established The Order of Cistercians, in Citeaux, France. The new Order strictly observed The Rule of Saint Benedict. As part of this Rule, Monks had to be Poor and live a simple life. In order not to be distracted from The Religious Life, Cistercians built self-sufficient Monasteries in isolated areas and refused to use servants.
Cistercian Monasteries were independent. They differed from Cluny in that all Houses were under the direct control of The Abbot, and each Cistercian Monastery needed to take care of its own. Each of them was most likely an independent individual society.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, an Abbot and the primary builder of the reformed Cistercian Order, shared the same Faith with Saint Robert of Molesme. However, Bernard felt that Cîteaux Abbey was not austere enough and did not completely reflect The Rule of Saint Benedict. Thus, in 1118, he founded The Abbey of Fontenay, in a Burgundy Valley, with strictly-implemented austerity.
The Cistercian Monks moved to Fontenay Abbey in 1130. Nine years later, The Bishop of Norwich fled to Fontenay to escape persecution, and helped finance the construction of the Church with his wealth. The Church was Consecrated in 1147 by Pope Eugene III.
By 1200, the Monastic complex was complete and able to serve as many as three hundred Monks. In 1259, the devout King Louis exempted The Abbey of Fontenay from all taxes, and, being in the King’s good graces, ten years later the Abbey became a Royal Abbey.
In 1359, The Abbey of Fontenay was pillaged by the Armies of King Edward III of England during The Hundred Years' War. It suffered further damage during The Wars of Religion in The Late-16th-Century.
The Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France.
Available on YouTube at
In 1745, The Refectory was destroyed. With the beginning of The French Revolution in 1789, all of the Monks successively left the Abbey due to de-Christianisation during The Revolution and, in 1791, the site was turned into a Paper Mill, run by The Montgolfier Brothers.
In 1906, Edouard Aynard, an art-loving Banker from Lyon, bought the Abbey and commenced its Restoration, which was complete by 1911. Edouard's descendents continued to work on the Abbey and it remains in The Aynard Family to this day. In 1981, the Abbey became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1906, Edouard Aynard, an art-loving Banker from Lyon, bought the Abbey and commenced its Restoration, which was complete by 1911. Edouard's descendents continued to work on the Abbey and it remains in The Aynard Family to this day. In 1981, the Abbey became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
All Cistercians Churches have the same model and are extremely similar to one another; for example, Graiguenamanagh Abbey, built in Ireland in 1204, has a very similar Floor Plan to The Abbey of Fontenay. The spirit of Cistercian Architecture is Simple, Conservative, Utilitarian and Self-Sufficient. The Abbey of Fontenay is a typical Cistercian Monastery built on these fundamental characteristics.
Cistercian Monasteries, including The Abbey of Fontenay, are identified as an offshoot of Romanesque Art and a germination of Gothic Art. The Churches of the Monasteries consist of prominent Romanesque Architecture features, including: Symmetrical Plan; Massive Quality, Thick Walls; Sturdy Piers; Groin Vaults; Round Arches; And Tall Central Nave. On the other hand, Gothic Architecture, evolving from Romanesque Architecture, was promoted by Cistercians and influenced by Cistercian Monasteries.
English: Abbey of Fontenay, Marmagne, Côte-d'Or Department, Burgundy, France.
Français: Abbaye de Fontenay Marmagne, Côte-d'Or, Bourgogne, France.
Photo: 21 April 2014.
Source: Own work.
Author: Myrabella
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Abbey was primarily constructed using Stone from local areas. The Abbey Church is typical Cistercian Architecture, built in The Romanesque Style. It is in a Latin Cross shape, with a Nave sixty-six metres long and eight metres wide, two Side-Sisles, and a Transept measuring nineteen metres.
In contrast to earlier Churches, the Abby Church has a flattened Apse and two rectangular (instead of semi-circular) Chapels each side of The Transept. The Cloisters measure thirty-six metres by thirty-eight metres. The Chapter House is Vaulted, with heavy Ribs. There is a large Dormitory, which was re-roofed in the 15th-Century with an Arched Braced Roof of Chestnut Timber.
Except for the demolished Refectory, the Abbey retains almost all of its original buildings: Church; Dormitory; Cloister; Chapter House; "Caldarium", or, "Warming Room"; Dovecote; Forge. All built in Romanesque Style. The Abbot's Lodgings and The Abbey's Infirmary were built at a later date. Today, The Abbey Buildings are set in modern manicured Parterres of Lawn and Gravel.
Except for the demolished Refectory, the Abbey retains almost all of its original buildings: Church; Dormitory; Cloister; Chapter House; "Caldarium", or, "Warming Room"; Dovecote; Forge. All built in Romanesque Style. The Abbot's Lodgings and The Abbey's Infirmary were built at a later date. Today, The Abbey Buildings are set in modern manicured Parterres of Lawn and Gravel.
English: The Cistercian Abbey at Fontenay, France.
Français : Illustration de « L'abbaye de Fontenay et l'architecture cistercienne »
Date: 17 March 2016.
Source: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5619222s
Author: Lucien Bégule (1912).
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Church and The Cloisters, the Centre of Life for Monks, were built in logically-distributed spaces. In anticipation of the Monastery’s future expansion, instead of creating an enclosed structure, the Church and The Cloisters were created parallel, or perpendicular, to each other, with open ends. In this way, during expansion the existing Cloisters and Church would not be influenced.
There is no Bell Tower in The Abbey, because Bernard of Clairvaux felt this would take away from the austerity. As an alternative, small Bells were attached into the wall beside the Church Door to call Lay Brothers to gather together.
In the Interior of the Church, massive Cruciform Piers sustain high, large Barrel Vaults, consisting of Pointed Arches and Transverse Pointed Arches. Diaphragm Pointed Arches are also evident. The abundant use of Pointed Arches was chosen because: “The Pointed Arch channels the weight onto the Bearing Piers, or Columns, at a steep angle,” and will support a tall building for thousands of years.
Fontenay Abbey.
Available on YouTube at
Bernard of Clairvaux, who restricted decorations, believed that only Light should enter the Church. For a long time, it was also believed that perfect proportions can be achieved through music. Thus, when designing the Glass Windows, numerical ratios corresponding to music were applied. For instance, the seven Windows in The West of The Interior were distributed according to a musical ratio of 3/4.
The thirty-six meter Cloisters, located at the back of the Church, are divided by Pillars into small Galleries. In each Gallery, Double-Column Pillars, with Lanceolate Capitals, support a Double-Arched Vault. These Cloisters were an important place for Monks to spend their spare time, reading, working and Praying.
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