The Abbey of Sainte-Trinité (french: Abbaye de la Sainte-Trinité), better known as the Abbaye aux Dames, is a former nunnery in
Caen,
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
, now home to the
Regional Council of Normandy. The complex includes the Church of Sainte-Trinité (the
Holy Trinity).
History
The abbey was founded as a
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
nunnery in the late 11th century by
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
and his wife
Matilda of Flanders as the ''Abbaye aux Dames'' ("Women's Abbey"), as well as the ''Abbaye aux Hommes'' ("Men's Abbey"), more formally the
Abbey of Saint-Étienne. The works began in 1062, starting from the rear and finished in 1130. Matilda, who died in 1083, was buried in the
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
under a slab of black marble.
William and Matilda's son,
William II of England
William II ( xno, Williame; – 2 August 1100) was King of England from 26 September 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Normandy and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales. The third so ...
, also granted the abbey the manor of
Horstead, in
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, where
Horstead Priory was established by the order, and continued until 1414.
The original spires were destroyed in the
Hundred Years' War and replaced by less striking balustrades in the early 18th century. The nuns were dispersed, and the abbey was suppressed, in the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
. In 1823 the town council decided to transfer the ancient (possibly also founded by William the Conqueror, but more likely King
Henry II of England
Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...
), to the former monastic premises for use as a hospital, and the
canonesses regular, who had assumed responsibility for the hospital from the two abbeys during the 14th century, established themselves there. The canonesses continued to operate there until 1908 when the facility was given to the for use as a nursing home.
The vault was demolished and rebuilt in 1865. The church was last restored between 1990 and 1993.
Burials
*
Matilda of Flanders
*
Cecilia of Normandy
Architecture
The façade has two large towers at the sides, each with doors leading to the aisles. The pediment of the central bay echoes the nave roof. The
tympanum of the central portal depicts the Trinity and the four
apocalyptic beasts, symbols of the
Four Evangelists.
The nave is surmounted by a gallery (
triforium). Over the aisles is a
groin vault
A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: Lau ...
, the first of this type built in Normandy (1130). The
transept
A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building wi ...
, in the centre of the church, houses the main
altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
. The northern transept is in
Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this later ...
, opening over a small
apse (the chapel of the
Blessed Sacrament) which houses the
tabernacle
According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...
. The southern transept is characterised by
Gothic columns integrated within the Romanesque decoration.
The choir ends with an apse decorated by four columns and a gallery with fantastic figures. Also present is a
crypt in honour of Saint Nicholas.
References
External links
*
Abbaye-aux-Dames en Basse-NormandieAbbaye aux Dames* High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images of th
Abbey of Sainte-Trinité , Art Atlas
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caen, Sainte Trinite
Sainte-Trinite
Sainte-Trinite, Caen
Sainte-Trinite, Caen
Sainte-Trinite, Caen
Augustinian monasteries in France
Sainte-Trinite, Caen
1908 disestablishments
Romanesque architecture in Normandy
11th-century establishments in France
Burial sites of the House of Normandy
Abbey of Sainte-Trinité
12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in France