The Royale Abbay of our Lady of Fontevraud was founded by an itinerant preacher named Robert of Arbrissel. The Abbay was started in 1110 AD, but what made it truly famous and a huge thorn in the side of the catholic church was that Robert installed both Nuns and Monks in the structure. Something simply not done in the eyes of the church. To add insult to injury he let the Mother Superior be in charge of the entire Abbay! It was both a sensation with the people and a huge bone of contention with the church. Once he left the pulpit the days of the Abbay were numbered. Upon assuming the throne of Emperor, Napoleon closed the Abbay and turned it into an infamous prison. Today it stands pretty much empty with artists using it for shows. Interesting thing we noted as we walked through this huge place: not one fireplace anywhere! Winters here must have been brutal. The full history is well documented by Wikipedia: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontevraud_Abbey>.
A projector shoots copies of the original wall colorings onto the columns and arches. Originally very colorful, the walls were scraped clean when the building was a prison.
Henry II Plantagenant
King Richard the Lionheart
Isabelle of Angouleme
Eleanor of Acquitane
What’s fascinating about all these beautifully done murals is that the Nuns play center stage in all of them.
Art by Lights
