Beauport Abbey Ruins

Paimpol, France

Beauport Abbey was founded by Alain I of Avaugour in 1202. The heyday of abbey was in the 13-14th centuries and the late 17th century. It was closed down and destroyed during the Great Revolution in 1790. The abbey was sold as private property in 1797 and later to the community of Kérity. The restoration began in 1992 and today it is one of the most important attractions in Brittany.

The different buildings constructed in the 13th century were arranged around the cloister and followed the typical layout adopted by most abbeys of this period. This layout remains visible today. The guest hall, chapter house and cellars are prime examples of Gothic architecture.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Chemin de l'Abbaye, Paimpol, France
See all sites in Paimpol

Details

Founded: 1202
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Late Capetians (France)

More Information

abbayebeauport.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Saint-Brieuc Cathedral (33,8 km)
Château de la Roche-Jagu (10,4 km)
Château de Quintin (41,4 km)
Château de Tonquédec (30,5 km)
Château de Coat-an-Noz (39,2 km)
Château de Lorge (49,7 km)

User Reviews

Andrea Dellassette (2 years ago)
A very interesting place, full of hystory and art. The feelingd and atmosphere within the ancient walls are inspiring. To be seen.
Barrie New (2 years ago)
Lovely ruined abbey that we passed on a cycle tour. The cycle path is a not easy in this area.
Sylvain Dornadic (2 years ago)
This old Abbey was deserted during the French revolution and large portions or the buildings collapsed, including the roof of the church. Bought by a prominent family of Paimpol in the 19th century, the buildings were kept in the same state while the garden was carefully tended to enhance the romantic appeal of the Gothic ruins. The site itself, overlooking the coast is stunning under the sun and beautifully quiet in the fog that frequently shrouds it.
Davy Goris (2 years ago)
A little oase of silence, with great garden to walk and enjoy the nature surrounding it. There is also a trail towards the see, to a rocky beach. Entrance to the Abby is paying for adults, with discounts for children and families. There is specific attention to blind people, with some information in braille, and audio info.
Daauwe Van huizen (2 years ago)
Very fun and a very good price! Information in French, German, Dutch amd English and even fun things to do for kids! Overall a great experience and definetly worth the price!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

The Beauty of Cinque Terre
Photo from Flickr, copyright Frans.Sellies

Historic Site of the week

Kromeriz Castle and Gardens

Kroměříž stands on the site of an earlier ford across the River Morava. The gardens and castle of Kroměříž are an exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a European Baroque princely residence and its gardens and described as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The first residence on the site was founded by bishop Stanislas Thurzo in 1497. The building was in a Late Gothic style, with a modicum of Renaissance detail. During the Thirty Years' War, the castle was sacked by the Swedish army (1643).

It was not until 1664 that a bishop from the powerful Liechtenstein family charged architect Filiberto Lucchese with renovating the palace in a Baroque style. The chief monument of Lucchese's work in Kroměříž is the Pleasure Garden in front of the castle. Upon Lucchese's death in 1666, Giovanni Pietro Tencalla completed his work on the formal garden and had the palace rebuilt in a style reminiscent of the Turinese school to which he belonged.

After the castle was gutted by a major fire in March 1752, Bishop Hamilton commissioned two leading imperial artists, Franz Anton Maulbertsch and Josef Stern, arrived at the residence in order to decorate the halls of the palace with their works. In addition to their paintings, the palace still houses an art collection, generally considered the second finest in the country, which includes Titian's last mythological painting, The Flaying of Marsyas. The largest part of the collection was acquired by Bishop Karel in Cologne in 1673. The palace also contains an outstanding musical archive and a library of 33,000 volumes.

UNESCO lists the palace and garden among the World Heritage Sites. As the nomination dossier explains, 'the castle is a good but not outstanding example of a type of aristocratic or princely residence that has survived widely in Europe. The Pleasure Garden, by contrast, is a very rare and largely intact example of a Baroque garden'. Apart from the formal parterres there is also a less formal nineteenth-century English garden, which sustained damage during floods in 1997.

Interiors of the palace were extensively used by Miloš Forman as a stand-in for Vienna's Hofburg Imperial Palace during filming of Amadeus (1984), based on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who actually never visited Kroměříž. The main audience chamber was also used in the film Immortal Beloved (1994), in the piano concerto scene.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2020 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.