ABBEY OF VILLERS-LA-VILLE, BELGIUM

THIS ABBEY I GUESS THIS DOESN'T OFFICIALLY COUNT AS A EUROPEAN CATHEDRAL BUT IT'S A GREAT PEEK AT THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE AREA.    IT IS LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LASNE.  

THE ABBEY WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1146.  MOST OF IT WAS COMPLETELY REBUILT BY THE END OF THE 13TH CENTURY.  IN THOSE DAYS THERE WERE NO FEWER THAN 100 MONKS AND SEVERAL HUNDRED LAY BROTHERS LIVING ON THE SITE.  THE DETERIORATION THAT YOU SEE ISN'T NECESSARILY DUE TO TIME TAKING IT'S TOLL BUT MUCH OF THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY RAIDS DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.  AT THAT TIME IT WAS SOLD OFF AS A NATIONAL PROPERTY.  

ONE MAJOR RESTORATION OCCURRED IN 1893 AND THEN NOT AGAIN UNTIL 1984.  IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS SOME ONGOING WORK BEING DONE.

IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO WALK AROUND THIS PROPERTY.  THEY MUST LIGHT IT UP AT NIGHT AS I DID SEE SOME LIGHT FIXTURES THROUGHOUT.  AND THERE WERE SOME CHAIRS SET UP IN THE CHURCH ITSELF SO THEY MUST HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS DURING THE YEAR.  DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS THE ABBEY IS A GREAT BACKDROP FOR SOME LIVE THEATER.  THE PERFORMANCES MOVE AROUND THE ABBEY 2 OR 3 TIMES; FROM THE ABBEY CHURCH, TO THE CLOISTERS, OR THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ABBEY.  

MONK'S REFRECTORY - 13TH CENTURY

THE CLOISTERS

THE CHURCH - 1267

100 YARDS LONG, THE NAVE VAULTS REACHING UP TO 70 FEET.  CONSTRUCTION STARTED IN 1197 AND COMPLETED IN 1267;  WAS ONE OF THE FIRST GOTHIC STYLE STRUCTURES IN THIS PART OF BELGIUM.

STONE WAS TAKEN FROM THE SURROUNDING LAND.  THE MONKS CHOSE THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE OF THE ABUNDANCE OF STONE, WATER AND IT'S SECLUSION.

LOOKS LIKE THERE WERE STAIRS HERE AT SOME POINT.  THE DORMITORY FOR THE LAYMEN WAS LOCATED ON THE 2ND FLOOR OF THIS BUILDING.

THE WORKSHOPS - BUILT IN THE 18TH CENTURY.  THIS HOUSED A LAUNDRY ROOM, STABLES, A FORGE AS WELL AS THE CARPENTER & CABINET MAKERS SHOPS.

THE CHURCH

OVERVIEW - CHURCH IS IN THE BACKGROUND

THE MODERN WORLD SNEAKS BY 

OLD VERSUS NEW

WHAT THE ABBEY WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE WITH ROOFS