Monastère des Bénédictines de Caen

The Benedictine monastery in Caen is organized with an east-facing church, a central cloister, and residential spaces distributed across four stories. The building displays functional architecture with bare walls and simplified forms throughout its rooms and passages.

The original monastery was destroyed in 1944 during the Battle of Caen and required complete reconstruction. Architect Jean Zunz designed new plans in 1954 to accommodate around 200 sisters in the Couvrechef neighborhood.

The monastery is named after Saint Benedict and its spaces reflect the contemplative life of the religious community. Visitors can observe how the layout guides daily routines through different rooms for prayer, work, and study.

The monastery is located on Rue de Mâlon in the Couvrechef neighborhood and now functions as a retirement home while maintaining its protected monument status. The layout allows visitors to understand how the spaces were organized for monastic life.

The church contains a large stained glass window by artist Sergio Di Castro depicting the Creation of the World through geometric patterns. This artwork is remarkable because it shows the creation story in abstract form rather than using traditional religious imagery.

Location: Caen

Inception: 1959

Part of: religious heritage of Caen

Address: 6, rue de Mâlon

GPS coordinates: 49.21030,-0.37449

Latest update: December 9, 2025 20:24