Ancienne abbaye de Faize

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

History

The abbey, daughter of that of Cadouin, was founded in 1137 by the Cistercians. Part of the buildings was rebuilt in the 17th century. Sold as national property in 1791, the abbey rapidly fell into ruins. Many elements had already disappeared by 1830. Today, there remains a long 17th-century building with at its end a barn built with salvaged materials. The west façade presents a central avant-corps in slight recession surmounted by a triangular pediment. The giant order of pilasters rhythms the façade. The windows open under a depressed arch. The south and north walls abruptly break the ends of the building which must have continued by two lateral avant-corps in projection. The east façade is constituted of a series of superimposed arcades. Buttresses reinforce the piles supporting the round-arch arcs of this double cloister. On the south face an opening is still visible giving access to the former buildings extending this part. The circulation gallery is protected by a balustrade largely ruined. Testifying to its very ancient use as a passage, one of the ground-floor arcades is still open, giving access from this side to the residential buildings. The passage is vaulted with ribs decorated with a soberly carved keystone. Towards the west, a moulded door of monumental character constitutes the entrance, and a long gallery vaulted with ribs extends towards the north. In the interior rooms remain two rooms entirely wainscoted and fireplaces from the early 18th century.