Ambronay Abbey (french: Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ambronay; Abbey of Our Lady, Ambronay) is a Benedictine abbey, founded in the 11th century by Barnard de Romans, which stands in the commune of Ambronay in the Ain 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 Germany in the Middle Ages, German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings, to refer ...

. 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; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

. Its excellent acoustics have led to its hosting the

Ambronay Festival The Ambronay Festival is a French opera festival and early music festival. The festival has been running in October for 30 years and previously produced recordings with labels such as the Auvidis label. 7 of 14 early recordings were with Jordi Sav ...

, an international festival of

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

.Festival d'Ambronay
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References

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