Abbey Saint-Andoche d'Autun

Abbey Saint-Andoche is a Romanesque monastery in Autun that incorporates layers of architecture from different periods. Its stone walls feature a Roman gate tower and architectural elements spanning from the 15th to the 19th centuries, with a particularly notable crypt.

Queen Brunhilda founded the monastery in 592 as a Benedictine nunnery built upon the remains of a Roman temple. Over the centuries, the building was repeatedly modified and expanded, reflecting its evolution from the early Middle Ages through the modern period.

The monastery served as a shelter for poor travelers and pilgrims passing through the region over many centuries. Visitors can still observe traces of this charitable role in the surviving stone structures and the layout of the grounds.

The monastery is located on Rue Saint-Germain in Autun and can be reached on foot with short walks from the city center. The crypt is the main highlight for visitors and received historical monument status in 1993.

During the Carolingian period, the monastery operated its own mint and produced silver coins, demonstrating its economic power. This ability to mint coins was a sign of independence and influence that only a few religious institutions held during that era.