Moissac Abbey

Moissac Abbey is a monastery with a monumental church featuring large Romanesque portals decorated with intricate sculptures and narrative reliefs carved into the stone. The complex includes a cloister and a visitor center dedicated to Romanesque art and illuminated manuscripts from the medieval period.

The monastery was established in the 7th century by Bishop Saint Didier of Cahors and grew in importance after joining the Cluniac order in the 11th century. This connection brought increased influence and led to expansion of its artistic and scholarly activities.

The cloister features 76 capitals carved with biblical narratives and religious imagery that reveal how monks understood their faith through visual storytelling. These sculptures show the care and skill that went into creating religious instruction for people who could not read.

The site is open to visitors who can walk through the cloister and church at their own pace. A visitor center on the grounds provides information and displays about Romanesque architecture and the site's artistic collections.

The tympanum above the south entrance displays an intricate apocalyptic scene with Christ enthroned and surrounded by celestial beings and symbolic creatures. This carving is one of the most detailed examples of such visionary imagery from the Romanesque period.