History of the Abbey of Montmajour

Vue de l'intérieur du cloître, du puits, de la tour du Pons de l'Orme depuis la cour

Built on a rocky outcrop, the Benedictine Abbey of Montmajour towers proudly over the plains of Arles, offering a remarkable architectural ensemble that bears witness to 1,000 years of history.

From its origins to the 16th century

The Middle Ages: origin and apogee

In the 10th century, Mons Majoris, a known necropolis since ancient times, was home to a community of hermits who prayed for the souls of the dead. A wealthy woman from Arles, impressed by the dedication of these devout men of God, decided to purchase the piece of land for them, thus founding the Abbey of Montmajour.

Following the Benedictine rule, the monks began by excavating into the rock to build a semi-troglodyte chapel, now known as St Peter’s Hermitage. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the abbey was at its peak, having acquired a fragment of the True Cross which made it a place of pilgrimage, attracting donations from all corners of society. During this period it was in charge of some fifty or so priories.

Now at the height of is power, the abbey built a splendid Provençal Romanesque ensemble, comprising the abbey church itself, the richly decorated cloister and the conventual buildings.

Les tombes à ciel ouvert de la nécropole de Montmajour — La nécropole
© Baptiste Bruzel / CMN

Decline

The 14th century brought its well-known package of adversity: the Abbey of Montmajour was not spared by the prevailing famine, plague and wars.

Soldiers left unpaid roamed the country in search of easy loot, arriving in Arles in 1368 and ravaging the surrounding countryside. The abbey therefore built a system of defence based on the Pons de l’Orme tower, which can still be seen today.

Disputes also broke out between the abbey and its priories, regarding St Anthony’s relics, and, although the abbey won the argument in the end, its reputation was sorely damaged.

Lastly, and most significantly, decline came from inside the community itself. The abbot was no longer elected by the monks but appointed, initially by the Pope or the counts of Provence, then by the king. This type of clientelism significantly discredited the community.

Escalier en ruine du réfectoire
© Antoinette Gorioux / CMN

From the 17th century to today

Renaissance of the Abbey

A new congregation of Maurist monks was brought in to remedy the primarily spiritual decline. After some 70 years of battles both in and out of court, the Maurist monks finally won their case and were allowed to re-establish the rule, the “old” monks deciding to accept a special payment in return for leaving the abbey.

This spiritual renewal was accompanied by an architectural renaissance deemed imperative by the Maurist monks, and a new architectural ensemble was built in the 18th century. The resulting grand, imposing neo-classical edifice was already being described as a palace in its day.

Dessin représentant le monastère Saint-Maur avant destruction — Dessin représentant le monastère Saint-Maur avant sa destruction
© François Brosse / CMN

From the French Revolution to the present day

Alas ! the renaissance was to be short-lived. 13 years after the work was finished came the French Revolution: now a national asset, the abbey was sold and the Saint Maur monastery suffered severe consequences. Today, only a mere sixth of the original building remains, the stone having been sold to build houses in Arles. The woodwork, the doors and windows, the furniture – everything was dispersed: in just two years, all that was left of the Maurist monastery was a ruin…

Fortunately, some inhabitants of Arles who cared about heritage issues saw what was happening and bought back part of the abbey, later returning it to the town, who, in turn, worked patiently to reassemble the dispersed ensemble. The French author Prosper Mérimée, in his role as Inspector of Ancient Monuments for the French government, ensured that the abbey was saved when it was added to France’s list of protected monuments: the mediaeval part in 1840, and the Maurist ensemble in 1926.

Since then there have been a number of restoration projects, and, although some sections have proved difficult to reconstruct, the resulting ensemble perfectly recalls the grandeur of this Benedictine jewel of Provençal history, and provides the perfect setting for exhibitions and cultural events.