Angers Abbeys
You will find five Angers abbeys/abbayes which date as early as the 6th century A.D. St Aubin and St Serge originate in this Merovingian period of the 6th and 7th centuries. The construction of Angers Abbey of St Nicolas and the Abbey of Our Lady of Charity. now Ronceray Abbey, took place during the 11th and 12th centuries. All Saints Abbey was constructed in the 13th century.
Ronceray Abbey
Located in the area named La Doutre, Ronceray Abbey is a short walk over the Verdun bridge from the foot of the St-Maurice Cathedral steps.
Saint-Maurice viewed from La Doutre
The cradle vaults in the Ronceray Abbey have the remains of beautiful geometric polychrome tiles. The Angers Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity has elaborately carved Corinthian capitals. It dates from the 12th century.
Ronceray Abbey Vaults
Ronceray Abbey
Angers’ Ronceray Abbey
Don’t miss the Abbey Church while you are here!
Ronceray Abbey Church
Before you leave the area, continue your walk up Boulevard Descazeaux to the 14th century Hôtel des Pénitentes. This beautiful house has watchtowers and a turret featuring a gothic staircase. Now used for seminars and celebrations it was once a house of refuge for women and girls.
Hôtel des Pénitentes
Hôtel des Pénitentes
Angers Abbeys : Church of St-Serge
The Abbey Church of St Serge is located on Avenue Marie Talent. The sculpture decorations on the choir vaults boast over 100 hundred ornamented keystones and ribbing statues. Today the Chapter Room of St Serge is the secondary school of Joachim du Bellay.
St-Aubin Abbey
St- Aubin Abbey is now the Administrative Center for Maine-et-Loire. Nearby, we find the tower of St-Aubin . Wander down rue St-Aubin from the tramway and you will come right to it. I think the best view is from the little outdoor café at the plaza entrance to the Musée des Beaux Arts. They have wonderful ice cream and you have a great view of the tower. Don’t forget to check out the current exhibit inside the tower.
Tour St-Aubin
Abbey of St-Nicholas
The Abbey of St Nicolas was constructed around 1010. It became property of the State during the Revolution and has subsequently housed barracks, an asylum, a hospital and now hosts the headquarters for the Congregation of the Good Shephard. It is located at Place Mondain Chanlouineau just off Boulevard Maréchal Foch.
All Saints Abbey Church (Abbaye des Toussaintes)
All Saints Abbey Church (Abbaye des Toussaintes) now houses the David d’Angers Gallery. The 13th century church which was celebrated for its Gothic arches was in ruins after 1810. The Abbey was restored in 1984 and given an amazing glass roof that allows the light to flood the sculptures displayed there. The staircase, dining hall and cloister are the remains of the building program that occurred during the early 1600s.
Former Abbaye des Toussaintes, now David d’Angers Gallery
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