Royal monastery of Brou, Gothic monastery in Bourg-en-Bresse, France.
The Royal Monastery of Brou is a Gothic building in Bourg-en-Bresse with a distinctive roof of colored glazed tiles arranged in a diamond pattern and detailed stone carvings across its white facade. Inside, the building holds religious artworks including statues dating from the 13th to 17th centuries on the ground floor and paintings from the 16th to 20th centuries displayed in the upper areas.
The monastery was commissioned between 1506 and 1532 by Margaret of Austria, who had it built as a burial place for herself, her husband Philibert II, and his mother Margaret of Bourbon. Following the French Revolution, the building was taken out of religious use and lost its original function as a tomb, yet survived the changes that came with the era.
The monastery served as a place of worship and devotion for centuries, and today draws visitors interested in religious art and the craftsmanship of medieval artists. The artworks visible throughout show the faith and skill that come alive as you walk through the church and galleries.
The monastery can be visited daily and is easily accessible from the town center. Visitors should allow enough time to thoroughly explore the artworks and interior spaces.
Three elaborate tombs crafted by artist Conrad Meit remain intact within the church, a rare survival of royal burial monuments in France. These monuments quietly tell the story of the place's past through the skill of Renaissance stonework.
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