from its origins to the French Revolution
779: Abbot Nimphibius
rebuilds the primitive monastery. Charlemagne promises his
protection to the new abbey.
IXth – Xth centuries:
pinnacle of the temporal and spiritual power of the Abbey of Lagrasse.
XIIth – XIIIth
centuries: in the politico-religious conflict caused by the Cathar heresy, the Abbots play a peacemaking role.
XIIIth – XVth
centuries: after something of a decline, the abbey under
Abbot Auger de Gogenx undergoes a spiritual reform and an
architectural revival (the Gothic church dates from this
period).
XVIIth century: the
Benedictine reform of Saint-Maur takes hold in 1663,
providing spiritual and intellectual renewal.
XVIIIth century:
Armand Bazin de Bezons, Bishop of Carcassonne, becomes Abbot
of Lagrasse; a new style (classical) is introduced (see the
cloister), and new buildings enlarge the Abbey (see the
court of honour and the conventual building).
1792: the French Révolution:
The monks are hunted down, contrary to the
wishes of the people of Lagrasse. The Abbey is pillaged.
The buildings are
split in two lots :
One third of the buildings
(10% of the entire property) comprises the:
-
the Abbot’s
courtyard and chapel
-
the monks’
dormitory
-
the pre-Roman
tower
-
the
northern transept of the church
|
Two thirds of the
buildings
(90% of the entire property) comprise the:
-
church
-
cloister
-
conventual
building
-
wings
surrounding the court of honour
-
gardens
|
From the Revolution
until today
Here
is a list of successive proprietors or occupiers of the two
lots following the French Revolution
:
1795-1796
|
Military hospital with 400 beds (BAIL)
|
1796
|
François Berlioz (1760-1828) instals tanneries
|
Bernard Sarrail (+
1828) then his son Léon live there for a while; they put
the abbey into tenant farming.
|
Beginning of the
XIXth century
|
The buildings were
largely unoccupied and in a very poor state. |
1822-1845
|
|
barracks for three gendarmes in the fore-courtyard.
Nine tenths of the abbey were transformed into a farm.
|
1845-1893
|
|
Gout de Bize family |
1894-1976
|
|
Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Seven
Sorrows (retreat house). |
1928
|
Social work by the Médaillés militaires (orphanage) |
|
1976
|
|
Departure of the religious
|
1979
|
|
Community of the Theophany
|
1981
|
The Mairie of Lagrasse
|
|
1990
|
|
Departure of the Theophany
|
1993
|
SIVOM (Community of communes)
|
|
1995
|
|
H and A Pregizer, Germans |
2004
|
|
Community of the
Canons Regular of the Mother of God.
The abbey is
reopened to visitors. |
2005
|
Conseil Général of Aude (which rents or lends out the
premises for various activities totally independent of
the Canons). |
|
|
