Maroilles Abbey, Benedictine monastery ruins in Maroilles, France
Maroilles Abbey is a Benedictine monastery with remaining structures including a portal, guesthouse, windmill, and tithe barn located in the Regional Natural Park de l'Avesnois. The buildings give an impression of the former scale and importance of the monastic community.
The monastery was founded around 650 by Count Chonebert and experienced centuries of prosperity. It was attacked in 1789 during the French Revolution, causing significant destruction.
The Benedictine monks developed one of the region's most recognizable cheese varieties here. This heritage shapes the village's identity and culinary tradition to this day.
The former tithe barn now serves as an information center offering details about the natural park and the area's heritage. The location sits within the park and makes a good starting point for exploring the surrounding countryside.
The site contains an 18th-century brick dovecote and a reproduction of the original entrance displayed in Place Verte. These elements show how the memory of the monastery is preserved in the village's layout today.
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