L'Abbaye de l'Epau, Royal Cistercian abbey in Yvré-l'Évêque, France
L'Abbaye de l'Épau is a royal Cistercian monastery located in Yvré-l'Évêque featuring a stone complex with an abbey church, chapter house, sacristy, cellars, and dormitory. The buildings occupy a 13-hectare walled park that also contains various outbuildings and landscaped grounds.
Queen Berengaria of Navarre, widow of Richard the Lionheart, founded this Cistercian monastery in 1229 and was buried there a year later. The complex continued as a religious community for centuries before becoming a secular institution.
The abbey hosts exhibitions throughout the year and serves as a meeting place for local government assemblies since the 1970s. Today the space functions as both an art venue and an administrative center.
The site is open year-round with extended hours during summer months and shorter hours in winter, closed only on major holidays. The walled park provides plenty of space for walking and exploring the various buildings at a comfortable pace.
Inside the church choir stands a remarkable 13th-century funeral sculpture of the queen that ranks among the site's most valuable artworks. This carved stone figure demonstrates the artistic craftsmanship reserved for royal burials of that era.
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