Hambye Abbey Ruins, Hambye, France

Located in the Normandy countryside, near from the Mont Saint-Michel, the Abbey of Notre Dame of Hambye was founded around 1145 by William Painel, Lord of Hambye, and Algare, bishop of Coutances. The monastery was established by a group of Benedictine monks from Tiron (Perche region in south-east of Basse-Normandie). Fueled by an ideal of rigor and austerity close to that of Cistercians, Benedictine monks built a sober and elegant abbey, typical of early Gothic period. The construction took place in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The religious community reached its apogee in the 13th century and then, after a long decline over the following centuries, disappeared in the 1780s.

Like all French abbeys, it became national property at the beginning of the Revolution. Eventually, the abbey was sold in 1790. The owners transformed or destroyed buildings and scattered the furnishings. Having belonged to the abbey for three centuries (16th-18th centuries), the altarpiece was also sold. The convent buildings became farm buildings. The abbey church was used as a quarry from 1810, and was gradually dismantled.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

mira Budzyn (4 years ago)
Fondée en 1145 et accueille des moines bénédictins. Devient chef d'ordre en 118. Connaît son apogée au XIII ème siècle avant son déclin. Les moines quittent le monastère avant la Révolution Française. Devenue bien national elle est mise en vente. L'église est transformée en carrière de pierre à partir de 1810, le cloître démentelé. Classée Monument Historique en 1902 et le reste en 1925. Depuis une cinquantaine d'années des travaux de restauration et de consolidation sont entrepris pour lui rendre dignité et beauté. Si vous passez dans la région n'hésitez pas à faire le détour. J'y suis allée avec mes petits enfants qui ont apprécié la visite. Petite boutique sur place ou vous trouverez également des savons et autres produits naturels

monique hermans (4 years ago)
Een ongelofelijke plaats om te zijn, gevoel niet te beschrijven, je kunt de ganse er de ganse dag rond dwalen de licht speling is onbeschrijfelijk mooi. De moeite om langs te gaan een omweg waard , puur genot.

Fabien B. (4 years ago)
C'est un lieu incroyable mêlant l'histoire d'une grande abbaye, et d'une femme qui a donné une grande partie de sa vie à sa rénovation. Cette abbaye offre des paysages uniques, simplement avec les parois de l'église partiellement détruit. A visiter absolument.

Glenn A. Jaspart (4 years ago)
Très belle abbaye. Il ne reste plus grand chose de l'abbatiale mais le lieu est malgré tout appréciable. On comprend bien la vie des moines de l'époque et se promener au sein des conventuels est un véritable plaisir.

ESTHER TRENCH (6 years ago)
We have been there a week ago. We are really thankful to Aurora! She guided us through this beautiful place, with much patience and in a very didactic way. Fantastic and unforgetable experience! Xavier and Esther, from Barcelona MAY2016

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