Take A Provence River Cruise To Cluny Abbey

Cluny Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Cluny, France. Built in the 11th Century and nearly destroyed during the French Revolution, it is one of the most significant abbeys of the Middle Ages. The three churches at Cluny Abbey were built in succession from the 10th to the early 12th centuries.

Cluny Abbey was one of the most important Benedictine, Christian monasteries of its time, helping to bring stability to the European society. It was the center of a major monastic movement of the Middle Ages that would spread throughout Europe.

The land for the abbey was donated by William I the Pious, Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Auvergne, from his own forested hunting preserve.

The Cluny Abbey was founded by Benedictine monks with a keen desire to observe closer adherence to the Benedictine rule. A distinctive aspect of their spirituality was their commitment to offer eternal prayer, emphasizing liturgy and spiritual pursuits over labor and other monastic activities.

Though some religious orders traditionally led a frugal life in that period, the case was different with the monks at Cluny Abbey. There were solid gold and silver chalices with gems for the Mass. Though monks usually ate porridge and broth, the monks at Cluny Abbey enjoyed wine, cheese and roasted chicken. They wore rich clothes made of silk and linen for the Mass.

A substantial part of the Cluny Abbey was designed with Romanesque architecture. It once housed Romanesque sculptures that are considered to be masterpieces today. Not only this, the library in Cluny Abbey was once considered to be the most important and the richest library across all of Europe. It held many important and valuable books. The Cluny Abbey stood as a great symbol of French culture in its time.

The church of the abbey was the largest Christian building in the world, until St. Peter’s Basilica was rebuilt in Rome in the 16th century.
What is left of Cluny Abbey today is a small portion of the third church and the bell tower, along with the 15th-century abbots’ residences and 18th-century convent buildings. The site also includes pleasant gardens and a museum with Romanesque artifacts.

Provence River Cruise And The Historical Abbey of Cluny

Our Provence river cruise offers a visit to the historical Abbey of Cluny. Contact us for more information! Europeanbarging 888-869-7907