Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou |
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Saint-Martin-du-Canigou
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Prades |
| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Monastery |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | near Casteil, Prades, Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon region, France |
| Municipality | Casteil |
| State | Pyrénées-Orientales |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Abbey church |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 1005 |
| Completed | 1009 |
| Designated as NHL | Monument historique (1889) |
| Website | |
| http://stmartinducanigou.org/ | |
The Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou is an old monastery built high up in the Pyrenees mountains. It is located in what is now southern France, close to the Spanish border. This beautiful building was finished in 1009.
The famous musician Pau Casals even wrote a song for orchestra called "Sant Martí del Canigó."
Contents
Where is the Abbey?
This historic monastery is found in the area of Casteil. This is a small town in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of France.
A Look Back in Time: The Abbey's History
The original monastery was built between 1005 and 1009. It was designed in the Romanesque style, which is known for its strong, simple shapes. A count named Guifred II had it built. He wanted to make up for something wrong he had done. Benedictine monks lived and prayed there.
In 1050, Guifred II passed away at the monastery. He had joined the monks there 15 years before. A special messenger was sent across Europe in 1051. He carried a long scroll called a mortuary roll. On this scroll, people at each religious house would write prayers for Guifred.
This old scroll still exists today. It has helped historians learn about life in Europe long ago. They found differences in how people wrote and used words in the north and south.
The monastery was damaged during a big Catalan earthquake of 1428 that shook the region.
Later, in 1782, the monastery was officially closed down by King Louis XVI. The monks left between 1783 and 1785. After they left, the buildings started to fall apart.
During a time of big changes in France (1793-1794), the abbey was completely shut. Its valuable items were taken away. The buildings were even used as a source of stone for people nearby. Parts like the decorated pillars of the cloister were stolen.
In 1902, the local bishop, who had a strong connection to the Catalan area, started to fix the ruins. The repair work was finished in 1932. Today, a Catholic group called the Community of the Beatitudes lives and works there.
The Abbey's Buildings
The abbey has two churches, both built in the early Romanesque style. The lower church is for St. Mary. The upper church is for St. Martin. These buildings are listed as important historical sites in France.
The Lower Church
The lower church is mostly dark inside. Its ceilings are quite low, usually less than 3 meters (about 10 feet) high. The eastern part of this church was likely finished in 1009. The rest of the building was built a bit later, around 1010–1020. This was when they added holy items (relics) and had the church blessed again.
The Upper Church
The upper church was built between 1010 and 1020. To support this new church, the columns in the lower church had to be made stronger. Like the lower church, the upper church has three main sections. These sections are separated by large stone columns. The ceilings are rounded, like a barrel.
The Gatehouse
The gatehouse is the entrance building. It is now only about 19 meters (62 feet) long. It was damaged in the 1428 earthquake. It was never fully rebuilt to its original size.
The other buildings where the monks lived were built in the early 1900s.
The Cloister
A cloister is a peaceful, enclosed courtyard with covered walkways. It is usually found in monasteries. It is hard to know exactly how the abbey's cloister looked originally. This is because it was heavily restored between 1900 and 1920.
The cloister once had two levels. The first level was built in the early 11th century. The second level was added later, in the late 12th century. The lower level had simple, rounded archways and no decorations. Today, only three of these walkways remain. They have been repaired a lot and don't look exactly as they did before.
The upper level of the cloister had beautiful marble decorations on its pillars. These were scattered after the monastery closed during the French Revolution. Some of these original pieces were found and put back into the new southern walkway during the restoration.
Gallery
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Northern and eastern galleries (2006)
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Abbey of Saint Martin du Canigou by A. Mayer (1837)
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Abbey Church of St Martin de Canigou (1837)
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Tower-porch and apse of the abbey (2006)
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Decorated pillar (2010)
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Tower (2010)
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Cloisters (2010)
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Decorated capital, figures (2015)
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Interior (2010)
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Font (2011)
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Slate tile roofs (2011)
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Relief, Monks burying an Abbot (2011)
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Floor plan of the upper church, Sketch (2011)
