Abbey of St. Martin

Laon, France

The Abbey of St. Martin, established in 1124 in Laon in northern France, was one of the earliest foundations of the Premonstratensian Order. Along with Cuissy Abbey and Floreffe Abbey it counted as one of the primarii inter pares, or senior houses, of the order.

The Premonstratensian community was founded by Barthélemy of Jur, bishop of Laon, in co-operation with Saint Norbert of Xanten, who settled it with twelve canons from Prémontré Abbey. It took over the site of an earlier college of canons regular, established in the Carolingian period, which had fallen into decay.

It was dissolved in the French Revolution. The church of St. Martin in Laon, dating from mid to late 12th century, is still in use as a parish church. The former monastic buildings were converted into a hospital in 1810.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Rue Saint-Martin 66, Laon, France

See all sites in Laon

Details

Founded: 1124
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Laon Cathedral (1 km)
Knights Templars Chapel (1,1 km)
Porte d’Ardon (0,9 km)
Abbey of St John (0,8 km)
Porte de Soissons (0,2 km)
St John the Baptist Church (1,7 km)

Palace of Tau (46 km)
Reims Cathedral (46 km)
Museum of Fine Arts (45,9 km)
Basilica of Saint-Remi (47,2 km)
Porte Mars (45,2 km)
Château de Septmonts (31,1 km)
Vauclair Abbey Ruins (15,6 km)
Reims Automobile Museum (47 km)
Cryptoporticus (45,7 km)

User Reviews

Jean-Louis Cheveaux (3 years ago)
A historical monument of Laonnois heritage to visit absolutely.

Jean Jacques Apchain (4 years ago)
Cool

Edson Arantes (4 years ago)
Beautiful place with a history being part of the CHU of the city of LAON and used as a VACCINATION space; with a very welcoming, dynamic and friendly staff. All my gratitude. Best regards

Eddy Khoo (4 years ago)
The abbey is closed to the public when we visited Laon. If it had been open, perhaps a higher rating could be accorded. However, the external architecture is interesting. Amazed is the word when it is still standing after 900 years.

Dave Sillence (5 years ago)
An imposing gothic church / abbey in the attractive town of Laon in France. Well worth a visit.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Christian Lauw

Historic Site of the week

Wieskirche

The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.

The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.

The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.