Cluny Abbey

Cluny Abbey in the Burgundy Region of France, along with many other churches, owes it design to a young monk named William of Volpiano. He was a highly gifted designer and is called the "father of the Romanesque style".

The term Romanesque means rounded arches and windows, simple classical columns with carved capitals,and a usually rounded apse beyond the altar at the eastern end. It was the major form of church architecture until the 12th century with the evolution of the Gothic style.

Plan to spend at least one full day here. There are so many architectural details to examine that these photos cannot begin to portray the beauty. The little things like the way the light floods through the high window in the morning give a mystical atmosphere. Time is needed to absorb the beauty.