Roussillon roman: l’abbaye Saint-Michel de Cuxa
Today we continue our visit of one of the most iconic monuments of my November photo trip to the southern French provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, and one of the most famous Benedictine abbeys of all times: Saint Michael of Cuxa.
The origins of the abbey go back to 840, when the monastery was created just after the Muslims were defeated and chased away. In its original locale near Eixelada, this first settlement endured a catastrophic flooding in 878. The 35 surviving monks moved to Cuxa, and under the protection of the earls of Cerdagne-Conflent, the abbey began to be built and prospered as early as the 900s. Cuxa fought for and obtained privileges of jurisdiction, thereby escaping religious authority, except that of the Pope, and secular authority, except that of the local King of Cerdagne.
Appointed abbot by King Sunifred II around 960, Garin (also referred to as Warinus), already head of five other monasteries, introduced a Cluniac reform and cut the last ties with the secular powers. He built a first church to replace the small initial chapel first mentioned in writing in 938. On his way back from a pilgrimage in Rome and Venice, Warinus convinced Doge Pietro Orseolo to abandon power, wife and children, and the pair fled Venice in the night of September 1, 978 —not leaving behind, however, a substantial part of the Doge’s riches, as well as two hermits, Marinus and Romuald. The presence of such illustrious guests at the abbey attracted large pilgrim crowds until the death of Doge Orseolo, in odor of sainthood, in 987. His companions returned to Italy where Romuald founded the order of the Camaldolese.
Warinus died around Year 1000 and was succeeded by the famous Oliba, elected abbot in 1008. He will go down in History as the great builder of Cuxa, as well as the one who considerably expanded the real estate domain owned by the abbey, which was already very substantial.
Decline began for Cuxa, like for so many other monasteries, with the end of the Middle Ages and the weakening and corruption of the faith brought about by the Renaissance. The monks stopped living communal life, the buildings fell into disrepair as the proceeds from the abbey’s domains were diverted and appropriated by the monks, and when it was sold to private owners in 1791, in the wake of the French Revolution, the abbey was in a sorry state. In 1907, an American managed to acquire a number of the capitals of the cloister and exported them to the USA where they formed the basis for The Cloisters museum in New York City.
Monks (Cistercians, indeed) returned to Cuxa after World War I, to be replaced by Benedictines from Montserrat in 1965. Extensive restoration campaigns began in 1940 and the monastery was finally listed as a Historic Landmark in 1958. It still functions as a working Benedictine abbey today.
The façade of the abbey church. I’m truly sorry for not being able to give you a wider and more comprehensive shot, but there was absolutely no space to step back because of works being carried on. An ugly fence to the left also prohibited me from shooting horizontally.
You can still see that the main portal also is an arc outrepassé, and you can, by comparison, appreciate the size of the enormous gable window: the church was not designed to be vaulted, and never was, which of course puts a lot less stress on the walls and allows for larger openings without unreasonable risks of endangering the structure.
Roussillon roman: l’abbaye Saint-Michel de Cuxa
Today we continue our visit of one of the most iconic monuments of my November photo trip to the southern French provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, and one of the most famous Benedictine abbeys of all times: Saint Michael of Cuxa.
The origins of the abbey go back to 840, when the monastery was created just after the Muslims were defeated and chased away. In its original locale near Eixelada, this first settlement endured a catastrophic flooding in 878. The 35 surviving monks moved to Cuxa, and under the protection of the earls of Cerdagne-Conflent, the abbey began to be built and prospered as early as the 900s. Cuxa fought for and obtained privileges of jurisdiction, thereby escaping religious authority, except that of the Pope, and secular authority, except that of the local King of Cerdagne.
Appointed abbot by King Sunifred II around 960, Garin (also referred to as Warinus), already head of five other monasteries, introduced a Cluniac reform and cut the last ties with the secular powers. He built a first church to replace the small initial chapel first mentioned in writing in 938. On his way back from a pilgrimage in Rome and Venice, Warinus convinced Doge Pietro Orseolo to abandon power, wife and children, and the pair fled Venice in the night of September 1, 978 —not leaving behind, however, a substantial part of the Doge’s riches, as well as two hermits, Marinus and Romuald. The presence of such illustrious guests at the abbey attracted large pilgrim crowds until the death of Doge Orseolo, in odor of sainthood, in 987. His companions returned to Italy where Romuald founded the order of the Camaldolese.
Warinus died around Year 1000 and was succeeded by the famous Oliba, elected abbot in 1008. He will go down in History as the great builder of Cuxa, as well as the one who considerably expanded the real estate domain owned by the abbey, which was already very substantial.
Decline began for Cuxa, like for so many other monasteries, with the end of the Middle Ages and the weakening and corruption of the faith brought about by the Renaissance. The monks stopped living communal life, the buildings fell into disrepair as the proceeds from the abbey’s domains were diverted and appropriated by the monks, and when it was sold to private owners in 1791, in the wake of the French Revolution, the abbey was in a sorry state. In 1907, an American managed to acquire a number of the capitals of the cloister and exported them to the USA where they formed the basis for The Cloisters museum in New York City.
Monks (Cistercians, indeed) returned to Cuxa after World War I, to be replaced by Benedictines from Montserrat in 1965. Extensive restoration campaigns began in 1940 and the monastery was finally listed as a Historic Landmark in 1958. It still functions as a working Benedictine abbey today.
The façade of the abbey church. I’m truly sorry for not being able to give you a wider and more comprehensive shot, but there was absolutely no space to step back because of works being carried on. An ugly fence to the left also prohibited me from shooting horizontally.
You can still see that the main portal also is an arc outrepassé, and you can, by comparison, appreciate the size of the enormous gable window: the church was not designed to be vaulted, and never was, which of course puts a lot less stress on the walls and allows for larger openings without unreasonable risks of endangering the structure.