Moutier-Grandval Abbey, Benedictine abbey in Moutier, Switzerland
Moutier-Grandval Abbey is a Benedictine monastery built in stone and positioned at the entrance of the Birse Gorge, marking where an ancient route begins toward Pierre Pertuis Pass. The complex sits sheltered by surrounding hills, creating a secluded setting for monastic life and scholarly work.
Around 640, a Duke of Alsace granted land to Luxeuil Abbey, which enabled the founding of this monastery under Saint Germanus of Granfelden. The community developed into an influential religious institution that shaped intellectual life across the medieval period.
The monastery served as a major center of learning that drew students from across Europe who came to study writing and medicine within its walls.
The cemetery chapel at Perrefitte, dating to Carolingian times, displays wall paintings from the 11th century and welcomes visitors. Wear sturdy shoes when exploring the grounds, as the terrain is uneven and the path to the chapel winds through natural landscape.
Between 820 and 840, the monastery received an illuminated Bible from Tours containing 449 parchment pages of Carolingian scriptural art. This manuscript reveals the community's connections to other major European scriptoriums of that era.
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