Royal Abbey of Fontevraud

Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monasteries in Europe. It is the cemetery of the Plantagenet royal family. The monastery houses the colorful reclining statues of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard Coeur de Lion. This monastery first appeared in 1101 and is a branch of the Benedictines. Since the area belonged to the Count of Anjou in the Loire River Basin, and the Count was the Duke of Normandy in France for a long time and then became the King of England, the monastery became the most important religious institution in the King of England's territory at that time. In the 12th century, King Henry II of England married Alienor, the Duchess of Aquitaine, who was divorced from the King of France, and thus expanded the British royal family's territory in France. At the same time, Henry II and Alienor attached great importance to this monastery and sent the prince and princess to receive education. Henry II of the Plantagenet dynasty of England, Alienor, and their son, the famous King Richard the Lionheart, were all buried in this monastery after their death. Later, the French royal family and nobles also paid attention to and supported this monastery. However, the monastery was destroyed during the French Revolution, and Napoleon turned it into a prison, thus preserving the complex of buildings. It was not until the 20th century that the monastery became a historical attraction again. The overall architecture of the monastery is mainly in the Renaissance style, but there are also Romanesque, Gothic and other styles. In particular, the Byzantine-style large kitchen built in the 12th century is particularly grand and magnificent in appearance. The church, cloister, restaurant, accommodation area, bakery and steel plant together perfectly interpret the ideal of self-sufficiency of the early Cistercian monks.