Ambronay Abbey (; Abbey of Our Lady, Ambronay) is a

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

abbey, founded in the 11th century by Barnard de Romans, which stands in the commune of

Ambronay Ambronay () is a commune in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. The commune covers an area of 33.55 km2 (12.95 sq mi). Vincent Mancuso is the mayor for the 2020-2026 tenure. Geography The commune o ...

in the

Ain Ain (, ; ) is a French department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where it ...

department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

History

A church was founded on the site by hermits in the 7th century, but this was destroyed by

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...

. A monastery was built here in around 803 by Saint Bernard of Vienne, the first abbot. Most of the abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1793 but the church, although converted into stables, survived and is once again a place of worship.

Description

The surviving structures comprise a cloister and some buildings surrounding it, and the former abbey church, now the parish church of Ambronay. It is principally a Gothic building of the mid-13th century, with 15th-century additions, although the façade of one of the naves dates from the 9th century. The church is regarded as a sanctuary of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

. Its excellent acoustics have led to its hosting the Ambronay Festival, an international festival of

Baroque music Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Classical music, Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance music, Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Class ...

.Festival d'Ambronay
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References

{{Authority control Roman Catholic churches in France Churches in Ain Benedictine monasteries in France