Moissac Abbey: Difference between revisions

Moissac Abbey
	The Romanesque south door of the abbey church
Monastery information
Other names	Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Moissac
Order	Benedictine
Dedicated to	Saint Peter
People
Founder(s)	Clovis I
Architecture
Style	Gothic architecture; Romanesque architecture
Site
Location	Moissac, Tarn-et-Garonne
Country	France
Coordinates	44°6′20″N 1°5′5″E / 44.10556°N 1.08472°E

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Moissac Abbey was a Benedictine and Cluniac monastery in Moissac, Tarn-et-Garonne in south-western France. A number of its medieval buildings survive, including the abbey church, which has a famous and important Romanesque sculpture around the entrance.

History

Foundation

According to legend, Moissac Abbey was founded by the Frankish king Clovis,^[1] in person the day after a victory over the Visigoths, in 506. The legend states that Clovis had made a vow to erect a monastery with 1,000 monks (in memory of a thousand of his warriors who died in battle) if he triumphed over the Visigoths who had ruled the area for the past century as federati of the Roman Empire. He threw his javelin from the top of the hill to mark the spot where "abbey of a thousand monks" was to be built. Unfortunately, the javelin landed in the middle of a swamp.

Historical records however indicate that it was founded by Saint Didier, bishop of Cahors, in the middle of the 7th century.

The establishment of the monastery was difficult because of raids by Moors from the south and west and the Norsemen from the north. The abbey was sacked by the Arabs of al-Andalus twice around 732 and was looted in the 9th century by Norman pirates and in the 10th century by Hungarians.

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. Durand de Bredons, bishop of Toulouse, appointed the abbot of Cluny Odilon de Mercœur to bring in a sweeping reform to counter the laxity of the monks in 1047.^[2]

A new church building was added in 1063 along with significant restoration works. Pope Urban II visited in 1097 and consecrated the high altar and issued a Papal Bull dated 7 May 1097 restoring 40 churches to the abbey;^[3] he also ordered the construction of the cloister, completed in 1100.^[4]

12th century

The 11th and 12th centuries were the first golden age, as Moissac was affiliated to the abbey of Cluny and accepted the Cluniac Reforms, under the guidance of Durand de Bredons, both the abbot of Moissac and the bishop of Toulouse. Papal support, its location on the pilgrim road, the restoration of the buildings and the reforms of de Bredon made the abbey one of the most powerful in France. In the 12th century, the abbot of Moissac was second in seniority within the Cluniac hierarchy only to the abbot of Cluny himself.^[5]^[6]

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 Jean-Baptiste Colbert in the 17th century^[1] and are now in the Bibliothèque Nationale.^[7]

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 Benedictine monks to leave the cloister, which had been a centre of Benedictine life for nearly 1,000 years. They were replaced by Augustinian canons, under commendatory abbots including well-known cardinals such as Mazarin and de Brienne.

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 tympanum depicts the Apocalypse of the Book of Revelation. Supporting the tympanum, a trumeau features a statue of the Prophet Isaiah, an outstanding example of Romanesque sculpture, comparable to the work at Santo Domingo de Silos. The cloisters also feature Romanesque sculpture.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "St. Pierre Abbey" Archived 2016-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, Moissac office du Tourisme
^ l'abbé Aymeric de Payrac dans sa chronique écrite (c. 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". Archived from the original on 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
^ Hearn, M.F., Romanesque Sculpture, Cornell University Press, 1985 Archived 2024-06-02 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 9780801493041

External links

[tourisme-1] "St. Pierre Abbey" Archived 2016-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, Moissac office du Tourisme

[2] 'abbé Aymeric de Payrac dans sa chronique écrite (c. 1400), Paris Bibliothèque Nationale, ms. latin 4991-A, f.154 R, col. 1

[3] E.Rupin, L'abbaye et les cloitres de Moissac, Picard, Paris, 1897, pp. 62–64

[4] 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

[5] Millénaire de Cluny (Mâcon, 1910), vol II, pp. 30–31

[6] Pignot, Histoire de l'ordre de Cluny, vol II, p. 190

[7] Léopold Delisle, Le cabinet des manuscrits, I, pp. 457–459

[paradoxplace-8] "Abbaye St Pierre de Moissac". Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.

[9] "Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France". Archived from the original on 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2019-12-26.

[10] Hearn, M.F., Romanesque Sculpture, Cornell University Press, 1985 Archived 2024-06-02 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 9780801493041

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Abbey in Tarn-et-Garonne, France}}
-{{refimprove|date = February 2014}}
+{{Infobox monastery
-[[File:Moissac 4.jpg|thumb|The Romanesque south door of the abbey church]]
+| name       	= Moissac Abbey
-[[File:Abadia de Saint-Pierre de Moissac - Portalada Sud de Moissac.JPG|thumb|The tympanum of the south-west portico]]
+| image      	= Moissac 4.jpg
-[[File:Moissac,_Jeremiah.JPG|thumb|The prophet Jeremiah on the southern portal]]
+| caption    	=The Romanesque south door of the abbey church
+| full       	=
+| other_names	= {{lang|fr|
+Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Moissac}}
+| order      	= [[Order of St. Benedict|Benedictine]]
+| established	=
+| disestablished =
+| style =[[Gothic architecture]]<br>[[Romanesque architecture]]
+| mother     	=
+| diocese    	=
+| churches   	=
+| founder    	= [[Clovis I]]
+| dedication 	=[[Saint Peter]]
+| people     	=
+| location   	= [[Moissac]], [[Tarn-et-Garonne]]
+| country       =[[France]]
+| coord      	={{Coord|44|6|20|N|1|5|5|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
+| oscoor     	=
+| remains    	=
+| heritage_designation =
+| public_access  =
+}}
+[[File:Moissac Tympan-Portal.jpg|thumb|The tympanum of the south-west portico]]
+[[File:Moissac,_Jeremiah.JPG|thumb|upright|The prophet Jeremiah on the southern portal]]
+[[File:Cloisters of Moissac Abbey.jpg|thumb|Cloisters of Moissac Abbey]]
-'''Moissac Abbey''' was a [[Benedictine]] and [[Cluniac]] monastery in [[Moissac]], [[Tarn-et-Garonne]] in south-western France.  A number of its medieval buildings survive including the abbey church, which has a famous and important [[Romanesque art|Romanesque]] sculpture around the entrance.
+'''Moissac Abbey''' was a [[Benedictine]] and [[Cluniac]] monastery in [[Moissac]], [[Tarn-et-Garonne]] in south-western France. A number of its medieval buildings survive, including the abbey church, which has a famous and important [[Romanesque art|Romanesque]] sculpture around the entrance.
 ==History==
+===Foundation===
-According to legend, Moissac abbey was founded by the Frankish king [[Clovis I|Clovis]],<ref name=tourisme>[http://en.tourisme-moissac.com/abbey-moissac/ "St. Pierre Abbey", Moissac office du Tourisme]</ref> but historical records indicate that it was founded by [[Didier of Cahors|Saint Didier]], [[bishop of Cahors]] in the middle of the 7th century. The establishment of the monastery was difficult because of raids by [[Moors]] from the south and west and the [[Norsemen]] from the north.
+According to legend, Moissac Abbey was founded by the Frankish king [[Clovis I|Clovis]],<ref name=tourisme>[http://en.tourisme-moissac.com/abbey-moissac/ "St. Pierre Abbey"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720051759/http://en.tourisme-moissac.com/abbey-moissac/ |date=2016-07-20 }}, Moissac office du Tourisme</ref> in person the day after a victory over the [[Visigoths]], in 506. The legend states that Clovis had made a vow to erect a [[monastery]] with 1,000 [[monk]]s (in memory of a thousand of his warriors who died in battle) if he triumphed over the Visigoths who had ruled the area for the past century as [[federati]] of the [[Roman Empire]]. He threw his javelin from the top of the hill to mark the spot where "abbey of a thousand monks" was to be built. Unfortunately, the javelin landed in the middle of a swamp.
+Historical records however indicate that it was founded by [[Didier of Cahors|Saint Didier]], [[bishop of Cahors]], in the middle of the 7th century.
-The 11th and 12th centuries were the first golden age, as Moissac was affiliated to the [[Cluny Abbey|abbey of Cluny]] and accepted the [[Cluniac Reforms]], under the guidance of [[Durand de Bredons]], both the Abbot of Moissac and the [[bishop of Toulouse]]. During this era the abbey was led by major abbots Dom Hunaud de Gavarret and Dom Ansquitil, who had the doorway and tympanum built.<ref name=tourisme/> 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 castle of Saint Nicolas de la Grave, describes these times.
+The establishment of the monastery was difficult because of raids by [[Moors]] from the south and west and the [[Norsemen]] from the north. The abbey was sacked by the [[Arab]]s of [[al-Andalus]] twice around 732 and was looted in the 9th century by [[Normans|Norman]] [[pirate]]s and in the 10th century by [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]]s.
-Illuminated manuscripts produced in the monastery's scriptorium, were taken to Paris by [[Jean-Baptiste Colbert]] in the 17th century.<ref name=tourisme/>
+===11th 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 [[Benedictine]] monks to leave the cloister, which had been a centre of Benedictine life for nearly 1000 years. They were replaced by [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] canons, under [[commendatory abbot]]s including well-known cardinals such as [[Cardinal Mazarin|Mazarin]] and [[Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne|de Brienne]].
+[[File:Moissac, Abbaye Saint-Pierre-PM 14924.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Consecration stone of the cloister]]
+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. [[Durand de Bredons]], [[bishop of Toulouse]], appointed the [[abbot of Cluny]] [[Odilon de Mercœur]] to bring in a sweeping reform to counter the laxity of the monks in 1047.<ref>l'abbé Aymeric de Payrac dans sa chronique écrite (c. 1400), Paris Bibliothèque Nationale, ms. latin 4991-A, f.154 R, col. 1</ref>
-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,<ref name="paradoxplace">{{cite web | url=http://www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Moissac_&_Around_Agen/Moissac/Moissac.htm | title=Abbaye St Pierre de Moissac | accessdate=May 3, 2012}}</ref> 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 [[Monument historique|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]]".<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/868 Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France]</ref>
+A new [[church building]] was added in 1063 along with significant restoration works. [[Pope Urban II]] visited in 1097 and consecrated the high altar and issued a [[Papal Bull]] dated 7 May 1097 restoring 40 churches to the abbey;<ref>E.Rupin, ''L'abbaye et les cloitres de Moissac'', Picard, Paris, 1897, pp. 62–64</ref> he also ordered the construction of the [[cloister]], completed in 1100.<ref>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</ref>
+===12th century===
+The 11th and 12th centuries were the first golden age, as Moissac was affiliated to the [[Cluny Abbey|abbey of Cluny]] and accepted the [[Cluniac Reforms]], under the guidance of [[Durand de Bredons]], both the abbot of Moissac and the [[bishop of Toulouse]]. Papal support, its location on the pilgrim road, the restoration of the buildings and the reforms of de Bredon made the abbey one of the most powerful in France. In the 12th century, the abbot of Moissac was second in seniority within the Cluniac hierarchy only to the abbot of Cluny himself.<ref>''Millénaire de Cluny'' (Mâcon, 1910), vol II, pp. 30–31</ref><ref>Pignot, ''Histoire de l'ordre de Cluny'', vol II, p. 190</ref>
+During this era, the abbey was led by major abbots Dom Hunaud de Gavarret and Dom Ansquitil, who had the doorway and tympanum built.<ref name=tourisme/> 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 [[Jean-Baptiste Colbert]] in the 17th century<ref name=tourisme/> and are now in the [[Bibliothèque Nationale]].<ref>Léopold Delisle, ''Le cabinet des manuscrits'', I, pp. 457–459</ref>
+===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 [[Benedictine]] monks to leave the cloister, which had been a centre of Benedictine life for nearly 1,000 years. They were replaced by [[Canons regular#Canons Regular of Saint Augustine|Augustinian]] canons, under [[commendatory abbot]]s including well-known cardinals such as [[Cardinal Mazarin|Mazarin]] and [[Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne|de Brienne]].
+===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,<ref name="paradoxplace">{{cite web |url=http://www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Moissac_&_Around_Agen/Moissac/Moissac.htm |title=Abbaye St Pierre de Moissac |access-date=May 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502073120/http://paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Moissac_%26_Around_Agen/Moissac/Moissac.htm |archive-date=May 2, 2012}}</ref> 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 [[Monument historique|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]]".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/868 |title=Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France |access-date=2019-12-26 |archive-date=2022-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607113905/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/868 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 ==Architecture==
-Architectural features of interest include the church's south-west [[portico]], a [[Battlement|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.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PKAG-WfwqKsC&pg=PA119&dq=Moissac+Abbey&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GIYQVdL0Io_HsQSQi4DwCQ&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Moissac%20Abbey&f=false Hearn, M.F., ''Romanesque Sculpture'', Cornell University Press, 1985] {{ISBN|9780801493041}}</ref>
+Architectural features of interest include the church's south-west [[portico]], a [[Battlement|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.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PKAG-WfwqKsC&dq=Moissac+Abbey&pg=PA119 Hearn, M.F., ''Romanesque Sculpture'', Cornell University Press, 1985] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602065256/https://books.google.com/books?id=PKAG-WfwqKsC&dq=Moissac+Abbey&pg=PA119#v=onepage&q=Moissac%20Abbey&f=false |date=2024-06-02 }} {{ISBN|9780801493041}}</ref>
-The [[Tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] depicts the [[Apocalypse]] of the Book of Revelation.  Supporting the tympanum, a ''[[Trumeau (architecture)|trumeau]]'' features a statue of the Prophet [[Isaiah]], an outstanding example of Romanesque sculpture, comparable to the work at [[Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos|Santo Domingo de Silos]].  The [[cloisters]] also feature Romanesque sculpture.
+The [[Tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] depicts the [[Apocalypse]] of the Book of Revelation. Supporting the tympanum, a ''[[Trumeau (architecture)|trumeau]]'' features a statue of the Prophet [[Isaiah]], an outstanding example of Romanesque sculpture, comparable to the work at [[Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos|Santo Domingo de Silos]]. The [[cloisters]] also feature Romanesque sculpture.
+==See also==
+* [[French Romanesque architecture]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 27: / Line 72: @@
 ==External links==
 {{Commons category|Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Moissac}}
+{{Commons|Great Romanesque tympanums in France}}
-* [http://www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Moissac_&_Around_Agen/Moissac/Moissac.htm Abbaye St-Pierre Cloister and Portal Photos]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120502073120/http://paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Moissac_%26_Around_Agen/Moissac/Moissac.htm Abbaye St-Pierre Cloister and Portal Photos]
 * [http://en.tourisme-moissac.com/web/EN/154-romanesque-art.php Moissac: Romanesque art]
+{{Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France}}
-{{coord|44.105611|N|1.084611|E|dim:100_region:FR-82_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title}}
 {{Authority control}}
 [[Category:Churches in Tarn-et-Garonne]]
 [[Category:Cluniac monasteries in France]]
-[[Category:Fortified church buildings]]
+[[Category:Fortified church buildings in France]]
-[[Category:Monuments historiques of Midi-Pyrénées]]
+[[Category:Monuments historiques of  Tarn-et-Garonne]]
 [[Category:Gothic architecture in France]]
 [[Category:Romanesque architecture in France]]

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States France 2 3 BnF data 2 3 Israel
Geographic	Mérimée 2 Pleiades
Other	IdRef