Cluny, Medieval monastery town in Saône-et-Loire, France
Description
Cluny is a commune in the Grosne River valley in eastern Burgundy, situated at approximately 244 meters in elevation. It spreads among rolling hills and is shaped by the former monastery complex, whose remains and modern uses define the character of the settlement.
History
The monastery was founded in 910 by William I of Aquitaine and grew into the most powerful religious institution of the Middle Ages. Its reform movement shaped monastic life across centuries before the French Revolution destroyed much of the complex.
Culture
The town takes its name from the stream running through it, and the monastery shaped religious life across the region for centuries. The buildings and streets today reflect this spiritual past, which remains woven into local identity.
Practical
The former monastery buildings now house the engineering school Arts et Métiers ParisTech, which limits access to certain areas. The church ruins and cloister garden remain open to visitors and serve as reference points when exploring the site.
Did you know?
The famous abbey church was the largest Christian church building in Europe until Saint Peter's Basilica was completed, symbolizing the monastery's power. Only the northern transept arm remains standing today, while the rest of the structure has largely vanished.
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Cluny Abbey
50 m
Cluny III
38 m
Abbaye de Cluny
34 m
Haras de Cluny
172 m
Église Notre-Dame de Cluny
143 m
Hôtel-Dieu de Cluny
434 m
Église abbatiale de Cluny
31 m
Musée d'art et d'archéologie
173 m
Église Saint-Marcel de Cluny
427 m
Hôtel des Monnaies de Cluny
260 m
Chapelle Saint-Odilon
525 m
Église Saint-Valentin de Jalogny
2.7 km
Croix de carrefour de Cluny
574 m
Église Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste de Vaux
4.4 km
Tour des Fromages
113 m
Fontaine de la rue d'Avril
238 m
Fontaine des Serpents
205 m
Chapelle des Récollets de Cluny
242 m
Maison, 9 rue du Merle
270 m
Immeuble, 9 rue Saint-Mayeul
313 m
Maison romane, 15 rue Lamartine
140 m
Fabry tower
235 m
Chapelle Jean de Bourbon of Abbaye de Cluny
37 m
Maison romane, 25 rue de la République
250 m
City walls of Cluny
540 m
Maison, 3 rue de la Barre, 13 place Notre-Dame
178 m
Immeuble, 24 rue d'Avril
364 m
Maison des Échevins
238 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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