30 minutes from Bordeaux, masterpiece of the Romanesque art of the XIIth century, registered in the world heritage of the UNESCO for the roads to Santiago de Compostela, the abbey of La Sauve-Majeure is a magnificent testimony of religious architecture having crossed the centuries.
It offers an open-air landscape on more than two hectares and presents superb sculpted decorations: fabulous animals, heroes, biblical stories are told on the capitals of the church and the chevet.
Between the Garonne and the Dordogne, in the Entre-Deux-Mers region, the abbey takes its name from the great forest, or "Silva Major", which characterized the surrounding landscape. It soon became the head of priories spread from England to Aragon, and then a stop on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
After the Revolution, it is only a ruin, certainly imposing, but exploited as a stone quarry.
Classified as a historical monument since 1840, it is used as a teacher training school before being acquired by the State in 1960.
La Sauve-Majeure is one of the most beautiful examples of Romanesque architecture and sculpture in the South-West. From its bell tower, it offers a unique point of view on the landscape of the Entre-Deux-Mers.
On an enchanting site, 3 hectares large, the ruins of the monastic buildings and the cloister adjoin an abbey church famous for its historiated capitals, which illustrate the sacred texts and the medieval imagination.
It has a very interesting lapidary museum.
Visits
All year round, visit the abbey freely with at your disposal :
A livret de visite téléchargeable, accompanying you step by step in your discovery;
The podcast « Le voyage d'une Bible , available in 5 episodes that will guide you in the footsteps of Aurelian, a monk who ended his days in the abbey after a journey that began in Mont-Saint-Michel;
A visit document available in French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese (accessible by clicking on the Download button in the document de visite).
Recommended duration of the visit : min. 1h
Abbey of la Sauve-Majeure
14, rue de l'Abbaye
33670 La Sauve
Tel : 5 56 23 01 55
abbaye.sauve-majeure@monuments-nationaux.fr
http://www.abbaye-la-sauve-majeure.fr/
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