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Template:Infobox Abbaye

The Epau Abbey is a Cistercian abbey founded by Queen Berengaria in 1229. It is located on the outskirts of the city of Le Mans, on the left bank of the Huisne, adjoining the town of Yvré-Bishop . The abbey has almost disappear on numerous occasions, both in war and it has crossed generations, by the financial problems that have occurred in modern times. She was definitely saved by the General Council of Sarthe in 1958.

Histoire

Originally a queen

We can consider Abbey Perseigne high on the borders of Maine-Norman by the powerful William III of Bellême, as the oldest Cistercian abbey of Maine . It was built in 1145, it is now located in the town of Neufchatel-en-Saosnois . It remains today a section of wall. But during the second millennium, the city of Le Mans seen rising several abbeys. This marked the rise of faith in the city: the abbeys of St Peter and St Paul, but also the abbey of Saint Vincent and the well known La Couture. Most often, the abbeys were still installed so privileged confines of the forest. Berengaria of Navarre finds himself in 1199 . Her husband, Richard the Lionheart died of his wounds a bow gun arrow at the siege of Chalus received in Haute-Vienne. The queen is pushed from power, usufructuary County Maine it moves into the capital Plantagenet in 1204 . According to legend, it would be installed in the famous house of Queen Berengaria . But it is nothing because it will spend all his time at Palace of the Counts of Maine . It is commonly said that the queen found asylum in the city, but not happiness. Part of local government, in cahoots with Eleanor of Aquitaine and John Lackland, did not cease to fight against it to take possession of her dower, bequeathed by Philip Augustus . Only after 26 years of exile in the city that the Queen, at the age of 59 years, decided to found an abbey.

construction of the abbey

thumb|300px|right|Rosace de l'abbatiale

The requirement of regular St. Benedict Abbey wants, if it is not installed in the heart of a busy city, must comply eremitic asceticism. Queen ignores because it decides to install the building between forest and city, close to Le Mans. The queen had built the building for his own salvation. The history and legend met by suggesting that this abbey was built to redeem the existence of some dissolute Plantagenet kings. March 25, 1229, the queen ordered the construction of Notre-Dame-de-Epau the monks of Citeaux. It is also proved a benefactor of this regular order. The choice of the monks living there has not been done at random. The queen is also a great friend of Adam Perseigne, abbot of the monastery of the same name and former confessor to Richard the Lion Heart. The father of Queen, Sancho VI himself had founded in 1140 the Abbey of Oliva. The place is first chosen as very quiet at the edge of a Huisne fish. Louis IX gives the field of Espal the queen but it's the little brothers of Coëffort hospital that will lead a hard life to Berengaria. The latter will require financial compensation to the Queen, claiming that their land was sold by Arthur of Brittany, nephew of Berengaria. The plan of the abbey is classic, construction respects the unity of all Cistercian foundations. the construction period extends from 1230 to 1365. The start of construction was fairly rapid. Four years after work began, the bishop of Le Mans Geoffroy de Laval made the dedication of the monastic building by keeping under the patronage of both Notre Dame and St. John the Baptist. The main building was not completed until 1280.

During the Hundred Years War

In March 1365, in full Hundred Years War, the Manceaux burn themselves the building. The monks who left the abbey, people are afraid that the enemy does not take the building into a headquarters garrison to attack the city. These are the notables themselves which have outraged the people to take action. The church is part of the abbey have suffered most. Yet the following year, the citizens of Le Mans decide to completely rebuild the damaged parts. These however are not those who fund the renovation. Money is scarce in the region and donations involve more the mendicant orders.

All damaged buildings are renovated between 1400 and 1444. Funding comes from a new size Manceaux imposed by Charles VI. One of the main architects of the renaissance of the abbey is Guillaume de Bonneville. Template: Sp-s At the beginning of the Revolution, the building was transformed into a giant barn. However, the abbey is already classified "historical monument". His heritage was already recognized under the former regime, including through its abbey church, the sacristy and especially its staircase of Template: S- .

Modern era

December 18, 1925, a great upheaval of restoration is started on the church by the School of Fine Arts. World War II stopped the work in 1938. After the war, all elected Sarthe and Mayenne voted unanimously redemption and restoration of an abbey having lived for five centuries to the rhythm of monastic life. The building was acquired in 1958 by the General Council of Sarthe for eleven million old francs . She has been a long recovery in a strict adherence to the architectural style of Template: S- . This included the participation and control institutes of Fine Arts of Le Mans and Paris. In 1961, the building is classified as historical monuments. That's when the abbey became also a place of welcome and visits. Between 1965 and 1990, the abbey became a proper place for cultural events, especially for classical music concerts, conferences or exhibitions. The place is also where the county council seat, especially in the eighteenth wing. The renovation of the latter was completed in 1990. In 1991, there were a total expenditure of sixty million francs for all the new renovations.

Effigy of Queen Berengaria

Berengaria of Navarre held at his death to be buried within the abbey. Doubt remains as to exactly where she got buried because if his lying is there today, no one knows for sure where his body was deposited. Terouanne stone found in 1960, a female skeleton complete and intact in the basement of the chapter house. A small oak box has always followed the recumbent figure of the queen, despite his many travels since the Revolution. On this box was marked Ossa Berangeria / 1230-1672-1821-1861 . However, the queen died, even though the abbey has not finished out of the ground. The only possibility would be that of burial in the abbey. His body would be lying beneath the current, a work of medieval art from the middle of Template: S- . The style of lying is close to that of Eleanor of Aquitaine at the Abbey of Fontevrault . The queen is lying on her back, wearing a long robe tightened at the waist by a belt. The royal crown is placed on his head, itself resting on a cushion. At his feet is represented a lion bringing down a greyhound. The crown and the lion are symbols of royalty while the purse lying near his belt, represents generosity. In his hands folded on his chest, the queen takes a book whose cover is lying on its own. In 1365, the fire reached the building lot and lying was certainly moved to the chapter house . He was, and it is a certainty, brought in the abbey in 1672 . He remained there until the Revolution and until resale of the building as a national clergy. The building became a giant agricultural barn and was commonly lying buried under the straw. It took the intervention of Charles Albert Shotard, sent specially from England to look after the effigies of the Plantagenets, to the tomb is respected. The owner of the abbey barn, Pierre Thore, will resolve to separate from lying some time after. He will be transferred in the cross Northern Cathedral in December 1821 . In 1861, the lying is moved to the south transept, leaving only the recumbent figure of Bishop Bouvier. In 1920, the recumbent backtracked and is again transferred into the north transept, the monument to make way for the priests of the diocese who died for France. It was in 1970 that the lying is finally reduced to Epau The Abbey, in the chapter house. They placed him above the mysterious tomb found by Pierre Terouanne. The skeleton indicates that the dead woman here was to have sixty years of age at the time of the queen of his death. The question is what is really in the box attached to the recumbent figure of the queen.

Le gisant de la reine

thumb|right|400px|La grange abbatiale au 19th century

List of Abbotts

Composition architecturale

• Arcatures sur la façade sud
• Porte du réfectoire du 13th century
• Salle capitulaire composée de 9 travées, arcs doubleaux et diagonaux
• Salle des moines ou scriptorium avec des voûtes d'arêtes du 18th century
• Parloirs et escaliers de fer forgé du 18th century
• Rosace
• Fresques du 14th century
• Charpente de châtaignier du 15th century

Événements

Lieu institutionnel et culturel, l'Abbaye accueille notamment le fameux Festival de l'Épau organisé sous l'égide du Conseil général; Il se déroule tous les ans au mois de mai. Il s'agit de l'un des festivals "classique" les plus attractifs de la région, avec la folle journée de Nantes.

Les réunions de l’Assemblée départementale du Conseil Général de la Sarthe se tiennent dans cette Abbaye

Voir aussi

Références

Liens externes

• Site non officiel de l'abbaye de l'Épau
• Photos de l'abbaye

Template:Palette Patrimoine du Mans

Epau Epau Catégorie:Monument historique de la Sarthe Catégorie:Patrimoine du XIIIe siècle Epau Epau Catégorie:Édifice religieux du Mans Catégorie:Monument historique classé en 1925 Catégorie:Monument historique classé en 1973 Catégorie:Monument historique classé en 2005