Our Lady of Ambronay

The Notre- Dame Abbey in Ambronay, a municipality in the department of Ain ​​in the French region of Rhône- Alpes, is a former Benedictine monastery dating from the 9th century. In the conventual buildings today a cultural meeting center (Centre Culturel de Rencontre ) is housed. Since 1980, a music festival is held here, which is devoted to early music.

History

The Ambronay abbey was founded in the 9th century by St. Barnard; the congregation took over the rule of St. Benedict. In the 11th century the abbey were 44 parishes, 21 priories and nine deaneries. Since it was exposed by its situation to border disputes with the Dauphiné Savoie, the abbey was extended in the early 13th century, with two defensive towers and an attached living quarters. In 1282 they lost their independence, as they protect the Counts of Savoy under stood. Among the Kommendantaräbten the monastic discipline suffered a decline.

1652 Abbey of the Congregation of Saint -Maur was connected. The Maurists led the monks back to the monastic life back, restored the convent building and set up a school, an archive and a library.

After the French Revolution the monastery was secularized in 1791. The abbey church became a parish church after they had been converted briefly to the Temple of Reason ( temple de la raison ). 1806 was the former parish church of Saint -Nicolas, who was standing on the forecourt of the abbey church, demolished. The convent building was sold and used as a barn, prison, hospital, school, barracks or social housing.

1889, the abbey church was added as a protected monument in the list of Monuments historiques and the département of Ain ​​bought by and according to the former convent building.

Since 1980, the Festival d' Ambronay takes place in the former abbey, are listed at the concerts of early music.

Abbey Church

Exterior

The church was built in the 13th century. The entrance façade is asymmetrical. Is the bell tower on the north side. The small bay tower on the north side served as a clock tower.

Interior

The church has three naves. Main and side aisles are covered with a ribbed vault.

In the north aisle fragments of wall paintings from the 14th century are still preserved. In an alcove a Pietà is kept, which is dated to the 16th century.

In the church is the grave chapel of Jacques de Mauvoisin, the abbot, who opened an extensive renovation of the abbey in the 15th century.

Leaded glass windows

The stained glass windows date from the 15th century. In the middle pane, the crucifixion of Christ is shown, including the Annunciation scene. The side lancets take a two abbots that are in splendid regalia beneath a Gothic appearance architecture. The mean lower disc is dedicated to the abbot Jacques de Mauvoisin.

On the side chancel windows St. Catherine and the Apostle James, and two martyrs are shown.

Choir stalls

In the 15th century choir stalls of oak, whose cheeks and misericords are decorated with figures and caricatures created.

Cloister

On the south side of the church of the two-storey cloister is created. The lower floor was renewed in the 15th century. The upper floor has been restored after a fire in 1632. In the 17th century, the monumental staircase was created, which leads to the upper cloister floor. There is a painted wooden ceiling above the staircase.

The southern gallery was enlarged in the 17th century. Here was the refectory, the dormitory and the kitchens. In the basement of the supplies were kept.

Abbot's palace

The former abbot's palace adjoins the north side of the church, which was built in the 15th century under the abbot Jacques de Mauvoisin.

Archivturm

The tower was built as a defense tower in the first half of the 13th century.

Dauphine tower

The Dauphine tower was built at the same time as the archive tower, but removed in 1595 by order of King Henry IV again. Towards the end of the 17th century, it was rebuilt, though not in the original amount.