Abbey of Valmagne Languedoc by Wim Lanphen

About "Abbey of Valmagne Languedoc"

by Wim Lanphen

About the artwork

Valmagne abbey was founded in 1138 by Raymond Trencavel, viscount of Béziers, with monks from the Benedictine monastery of Ardorel near Albi. In 1145, the second abbot, Pierre, requested to be placed under the Cistercian order. Trencavel refused this request, but Pope Adrian IV confirmed the link between the abbey and the Cistercian order. The abbey accepted the teachings of Bernard of Clairvaux and became a daughter monastery of Bonnevaux Abbey.

In 1791, the abbey was sold to Mr Granier-Joyeuse, who converted the church into a wine cellar. He built long wooden vats in the church's apse and chapels. After his death, the former church was bought by Count Henri-Amédée-Mercure de Turenne and the complex is still owned by his family.

With the large wine barrels in the abbey church, a new religion was a fact. The photo shows the entrance to the chapter house. A chapter house is a room in a church building, monastery or abbey where the monks or choirmasters gather to be taught by the abbot or dean, or to pray or discuss with each other. The word 'chapter' here means 'chapter', referring to a chapter from the monastic rule that was read here daily. And sometimes chaptered monks.

On my website wimlanphen.nl you will find photos'of a whole series of abbeys. You will then see that this is one of the most beautifully ornamented chapter house and also one of the simplest: there is a simple ceiling and no balcony from which to preach.

Now buy a delicious red wine there : Red wine from Clairette de Languedoc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Made from Grenache, Shiraz/Syrah.