Abbaye de Montmajour, Benedictine monastery in Arles, France
Description
Abbaye de Montmajour is a Benedictine monastery in Arles featuring a Romanesque cloister, Gothic church, and medieval fortress tower built on an elevated limestone outcrop. The site also includes a troglodyte chapel carved into the rock and numerous structures added during different periods.
History
Founded in 948 by Benedictine monks on a rocky island, the monastery grew through multiple building phases between the 10th and 18th centuries. The different architectural styles reflect how the community adapted and expanded its spaces over nearly 1,000 years.
Culture
The carved capitals display medieval figures, animals, and plants that showcase the artistic skill of Romanesque sculptors in Provence. Visitors can see these details throughout the cloisters and church, revealing how monks expressed their vision through stone.
Practical
Visiting in the morning is best for a quieter experience and better light for exploring the buildings and cloister. The pathways across the site are uneven and steep in places, so sturdy footwear is advisable.
Did you know?
The 14th-century fortress tower offers views across Arles, Tarascon, the Crau plain, and the Alpilles mountains from its summit. Climbing to the top reveals how the monastery was positioned to watch over multiple landscapes that shaped the region.
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Montmajour Abbey
52 m
Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Major d'Arles
4 km
Hypogées de Fontvieille
1.6 km
Bridge of Constantine
4 km
Église Saint-Julien d'Arles
4.1 km
Prieuré Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul des Mouleyrès
4.1 km
Porte de la Cavalerie
3.8 km
Chapelle Sainte-Croix
260 m
Castelet hypogeum
1.6 km
St Victor chapel
2.7 km
Amédée Pichot Fountain
3.9 km
Moulin Sourdon
4 km
Tour des Abbés
3.8 km
Pont de Trinquetaille
3.8 km
Abbey Church Notre-Dame
31 m
École du Lau
4 km
Statue d'un zouave
4 km
Pont aux lions
3.7 km
Maison, 33bis rue du Quatre-Septembre
4.1 km
Immeuble, 59 rue Condorcet
3.9 km
St Roch & St Victor oratory (Fontvieille)
3.1 km
Immeuble, 2 rue Portagnel, place Voltaire, 27 rue Tardieu
4 km
Légier castle
3.5 km
Niche d'angle avec Vierge à l'Enfant, rond-point des Arènes
4.1 km
Hôtel de Grille
4.1 km
Niche d'angle vide mais soutenue par un cul-de-lampe sculpté dans la pierre
4 km
Maison Alphonse Benoît
4 km
Niche d'angle vide
4 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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