Marmoutier Abbey, Tours

The monastery Marmoutier over the Loire at Tours is the monastic tradition after by St. Bishop Martin of Tours was founded in 372/375, shortly after he became bishop 371. Previously, he had retired to the local caves as hermits, what about him a circle of students had formed.

To 420 died in the abbey, the monk Sulpicius Severus, the posterity, among others, a confrontation between St.. Martin and Bishop Brictius of Tours, who by St. Martin has been brought up in the monastery and had lived in the community of monks, reported. After Brictius was ordained a priest in fact, he no longer respected as part of the secular clergy of Tours, the monastic way of life, what the hl. Martin as bishop exercised strong criticism. Nevertheless, he was after the death of St.. Martin 397 his successor as bishop and was built in honor of St. Martin on the outskirts of Tours, the first church.

852 Robert IV the Brave († 866), Count of Paris, lay abbot of the monastery.

853 the monastery was devastated by the Normans.

860 to the canons of St. Martin of Tours in Marmoutier been able to establish. However, they were replaced by monks from Cluny 982 under Abbot Mayeul.

996 Count Odo I of Chartres and Tours, is buried in the Abbey, who had sacked the monastery mid- 980s - years in the Cluniac federation.

To 1044 came Gaunilo, formerly Earl of Montigni, after several accidents in feuds in the monastery Marmoutier one, after he had left his wife and children. He led by Anselm of Canterbury a written dispute to the proof of God.

In 1096 the monastery was given a new church, a sanctuary and other monastic buildings were built before 1312. During the French Revolution, the buildings were used as a military hospital, then they began to systematically dismantle the monastery. Of the original building only the portal with the crosier, the house of the Priors and the ring wall are obtained. Windwärts hill, west of the city walls, one sees a large portal from the 18th century, right in the axis of the entrance hall of the church.

The Chapel of the Seven Sleepers is a cave in the hills, to the west of the bell tower. Here were the seven disciples of St. Martin, all said to have died on the same day, buried. The tombs were hewn out of the rock, in 1562 they were destroyed; today they are empty.