Escaladieu Abbey

Bonnemazon, France

Escaladieu Abbey was a Cistercian abbey located in the French commune of Bonnemazon. Its name derives from the Latin Scala Dei ('ladder of God'). The abbey was founded in 1142 and became an important pilgrimage stop on the Way of St. James en route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The abbey is situated at the confluence of the Luz and the Arros rivers near the Château de Mauvezin.

The abbey was continuously inhabited by Cistercian monks until 1830 when it sold to an unknown local family. In 1986, the abbey was purchased by the Conseil Général des Hautes-Pyrénées which undertook its restoration.

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Address

Couvent, Bonnemazon, France
See all sites in Bonnemazon

Details

Founded: 1142
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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User Reviews

Thierry Carriere (17 months ago)
le personnel est très gentil visite très agréable beaucoup d'explication à voir absolument
Yannick Bertrand (18 months ago)
Magnifique lieu imprégné d'histoire
alberto M A (21 months ago)
Bonito lugar donde se encuentran exposiciones de arte moderno. Un entorno tranquilo y de fácil acceso.
Hayet Meissel (2 years ago)
Nature, lieu riche d'histoires et de poésie, je n'ai pas vu le temps passé tellement j'y étais bien, en plus, mes enfants ont adoré, tout comme moi..... Allez voir surtout ❤️❤️❤️
Joao Cesar Escossia (6 years ago)
Abbaye de l'Escaladieu (Escaladieu Abbey) was founded in 1142 when Cistercian monks left the monastery at Capadur to found their own abbey. Escaladieu Abbey was built at the confluence of the Luz and Arros rivers near the castle of Mauvezin. The abbey flourished from the 12th to 14th centuries. It served as the burial place for the counts of Bigorre and was a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago. Escaladieu Abbey was built in the simple Romanesque-Cistercian style. The cloister included a sacristy, refectory, kitchen, and scriptorium. It was closed around 1830. All the east buildings of the Escaladieu Abbey remain intact, including the 12th-century chapter house, where the monks gathered to read the rule of St. Benoit, and the scriptorium, where they copied and illuminated manuscripts. The nave of the abbey had six bays, one of which was destroyed during the 16th-century Wars of Religion. The abbey has been owned by the Conseil Général des Hautes-Pyrénées since 1997. It is open to visitors and is used for conferences and special events.
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