Moissac
Encyclopedia
Moissac is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne
department in the Midi-Pyrénées
region
in southern France
. It is famous world-wide mostly for the artistic heritage handed down by the ancient Saint-Pierre Abbey.
(the Frankish king), but from historical information it was founded by Saint Didier
, bishop of Cahors in the middle of the 7th century. The establishment of the monastery was difficult because of raids by the Moors
and the Norsemen
. The 11th and 12th centuries witnessed a first golden age, the result of Moissac being affiliated to the Burgundy abbey of Cluny
and its accepting the famous Reformation, under the guidance of Durand de Bredons
who was both the Abbot of Moissac and the bishop of Toulouse. This outstanding era witnessed the major abbots Dom Hunaud de Gavarret, and Dom Ansquitil; who had the doorway and tympanum built. In the 13th century, Raymond de Montpezat and then Bertrand de Montaigut, abbots and builders, ruled the abbey. Aymeric de Peyrac, writing his Chronicle in the 15th century in the castle of Saint Nicolas de la Grave reveals us those events.
The 15th century saw a new golden age with abbots Pierre and Antoine de Caraman, whose building programme included in particular the Gothic part of the abbey church. The 1626 secularization of the abbey caused the Benedictine
monks to leave the cloister which had been a centre of Benedictine life for nearly 1000 years. They were replaced by Augustinian
canons, under commendatory abbots including well-known cardinals such as Mazarin and de Brienne
. In 1793, the French Revolution
put an end to monastic life in Moissac. In the middle of the 19th century, the laying of a railway track threatened the cloister but it was saved (though the refectory was demolished to facilitate the railway cutting) and listed as a historic monument. Even though the outlying buildings have suffered a lot and the appearance of the abbey has changed, this inheritance is nowadays the object of intense care as the south-west portico tympanum and trumeau statue of the Prophet Jeremiah, renowned amongst the greatest works of the European Romanesque, and the oldest and one of the most beautiful cloisters in France, can still be admired.
in Moissac has a 12th century tympanum
, portico statues (including the famous trumeau figure of the Prophet Jeremiah) and cloister
(which has a later 15th century roof structure). There is also a Centre of Romanesque Art with important documents on medieval sculpture, illumination and wall-paintings. The Saint-Pierre abbey church and cloister are listed among the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
.
flows through the centre of town, as does the Canal de Garonne (formerly Canal latéral à la Garonne), the extension of the Canal du Midi
from Toulouse to Bordeaux. Together, these two canals are sometimes known as the Canal des deux mers (lit. canal of the two seas) connecting the Atlantic Ocean
with the Mediterranean Sea
.
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
department in the Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is famous world-wide mostly for the artistic heritage handed down by the ancient Saint-Pierre Abbey.
History
According to legend, the abbey was founded by ClovisClovis I
Clovis Leuthwig was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul . He was the son...
(the Frankish king), but from historical information it was founded by Saint Didier
Didier of Cahors
Saint Didier, also known as Desiderius was a Merovingian royal official of aristocratic Gallo-Roman extraction....
, bishop of Cahors in the middle of the 7th century. The establishment of the monastery was difficult because of raids by the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
and the Norsemen
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
. The 11th and 12th centuries witnessed a first golden age, the result of Moissac being affiliated to the Burgundy abbey of Cluny
Cluny Abbey
Cluny Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was built in the Romanesque style, with three churches built in succession from the 10th to the early 12th centuries....
and its accepting the famous Reformation, under the guidance of Durand de Bredons
Durand de Bredons
Durand de Bredons was a French Benedictine and bishop of Toulouse from about 1058. He was from Bredons in the Auvergne.He was from about 1048 Abbot of Moissac, a Cluniac reformer there.-External links:...
who was both the Abbot of Moissac and the bishop of Toulouse. This outstanding era witnessed the major abbots Dom Hunaud de Gavarret, and Dom Ansquitil; who had the doorway and tympanum built. In the 13th century, Raymond de Montpezat and then Bertrand de Montaigut, abbots and builders, ruled the abbey. Aymeric de Peyrac, writing his Chronicle in the 15th century in the castle of Saint Nicolas de la Grave reveals us those events.
The 15th century saw a new golden age with abbots Pierre and Antoine de Caraman, whose building programme included in particular the Gothic part of the abbey church. The 1626 secularization of the abbey caused the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks to leave the cloister which had been a centre of Benedictine life for nearly 1000 years. They were replaced by Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
canons, under commendatory abbots including well-known cardinals such as Mazarin and de Brienne
Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne
Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne was a French churchman, politician and finance minister of Louis XVI.-Life:...
. In 1793, the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
put an end to monastic life in Moissac. In the middle of the 19th century, the laying of a railway track threatened the cloister but it was saved (though the refectory was demolished to facilitate the railway cutting) and listed as a historic monument. Even though the outlying buildings have suffered a lot and the appearance of the abbey has changed, this inheritance is nowadays the object of intense care as the south-west portico tympanum and trumeau statue of the Prophet Jeremiah, renowned amongst the greatest works of the European Romanesque, and the oldest and one of the most beautiful cloisters in France, can still be admired.
Main sights
The Saint-Pierre abbeyAbbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
in Moissac has a 12th century tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
, portico statues (including the famous trumeau figure of the Prophet Jeremiah) and cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
(which has a later 15th century roof structure). There is also a Centre of Romanesque Art with important documents on medieval sculpture, illumination and wall-paintings. The Saint-Pierre abbey church and cloister are listed among the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
In 1998, several sites in France were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the description: Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France....
.
Waterways
There are important waterways in Moissac: the Tarn RiverTarn River
The Tarn is a long river in southern France , right tributary of the Garonne.The Tarn runs in a roughly westerly direction, from its source at an altitude of 1,550 m on Mont Lozère in the Cévennes mountains , through the deep gorges and canyons of the Gorges du Tarn The Tarn is a long...
flows through the centre of town, as does the Canal de Garonne (formerly Canal latéral à la Garonne), the extension of the Canal du Midi
Canal du Midi
The is a long canal in Southern France . The canal connects the Garonne River to the on the Mediterranean and along with the Canal de Garonne forms the Canal des Deux Mers joining the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The canal runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau...
from Toulouse to Bordeaux. Together, these two canals are sometimes known as the Canal des deux mers (lit. canal of the two seas) connecting the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
with the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.