Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, Medieval monastery in Le Mont-Saint-Michel, France
Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey is a monastery built on a granite outcrop off the Normandy coast, combining Romanesque arches with Gothic vaults across several levels. The buildings rise from the rock base to the upper church, and a long stairway leads through different halls and cloisters to the top of the complex.
In the early 8th century a first chapel was built here, later expanded into a Benedictine abbey that grew and changed over the centuries. Monks lived on the island until the French Revolution, when the site became a prison before returning to monastic use in the 19th century.
Two religious communities from the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem maintain daily offices and celebrate masses in the abbey, continuing centuries of spiritual tradition.
The climb through the abbey involves narrow passages and steep stairs, so visitors should wear comfortable shoes and watch for slippery steps. A visit typically takes one to two hours, depending on how much time you spend in each room.
The refectory where the monks ate has narrow openings in the walls that let daylight stream in and light the room without needing large windows. This design was meant to encourage the focus of the monks by avoiding outside distractions while still providing enough brightness.
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