Cluny Abbey, France

Learn French

Traveling to France is one of the experiences you shouldn’t miss if you have the opportunity; and if you plan your trip in advance it’ll be more enjoyable. We recommend you to spend some time learning the language, then you’ll take advantage of French Culture, meet new friends, ask for help and more; so if you find French schools to learn this language then it’s convenient to take a course.

The most famous places in France

Once you have learned some French, it’s a great idea to plan your trip and consider the most important and famous places in France such as the wonders of Europe: Channel Tunnel and Cluny Abbey and the museums and monuments scattered around the city. If we talk about the wonders in France, it’s impossible to leave an extensive description about the Cluny Abbey out.

The Cluny Abbey

The Cluny Abbey is located in Burgundy, France; it was an important center of a monastic movement in the Middle Ages since its foundation in 910 A.D. by King William of Aquitaine; and it became the largest church worldwide until the construction of St. Peter ‘s Basilica.

The history of Cluny Abbey

The Abbey was constructed to obey the strict observance of the rule “pray and live far from the world’s work” so it could host the Benedictine Order of Cluny; The Cluny Abbey was independent from feudal or ecclesiastical control. In time, The Cluny was the preferred monastery by monks and became the head of a monastic empire with over 1000 monks, even The Pope declared the abbey as the light of the world.

The monastery has an unbeatable wealth and it is considered as the Pinnacle of Romanesque and Renaissance styles of French Architecture; inside the building you’ll find many other artworks such as sculptures, paintings.

The three stages of construction

The construction of The Cluny Abbey took over 200 years (909-1131) because it was constructed in three stages: The first one (Cluny I or Abbey) was finished in 927 A.D. and it had a variable distribution due to the land, climate, the stables, the garden and cemetery. The Cluny II was built because the first became small for the great number of monks and the growing monastery; the construction was dedicated to the liturgical life of the zone considering chapels, and exceeding the amplitude of the previous abbey church; it was finished in 981 A.D.

Finally Cluny III was built on the foundations of the previous constructions, it was a colossal project because they had to build again the Cluny I and II. If you visit The Abbey of Cluny then you’ll nonetheless see the ruins, the glory of this wonderful building; don’t forget that it’ll be useful to learn some French to get more information about this place and maybe meet a new friend to walk around the Abbey accompanied.