Champmol Charterhouse

Chartreuse de Champmol

The Chartreuse de Champmol, formally known as the Chartreuse de la Sainte-Trinité de Champmol, was a significant Carthusian monastery located on the outskirts of Dijon, which was the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy in the 15th century. Founded in 1383 by Duke Philip the Bold, its primary purpose was to serve as a grand dynastic burial place for the Valois Dukes of Burgundy. The monastery operated until its dissolution in 1791 during the French Revolution. It was celebrated as "the grandest project in a reign renowned for extravagance," being lavishly adorned with important works of art, the remnants of which continue to be vital for understanding the art of that period.

Founding and Construction

Construction of Champmol began in 1383 under architect Druet de Dammartin, with the church consecrated by 1388. The monastery was designed to accommodate twenty-four choir monks, a larger number than typical for a Carthusian house, with additional endowments for more monks later. Situated "two arrow shots" outside Dijon's city gates at its founding, it is now within the modern city's boundaries. Champmol was envisioned to rival other major dynastic burial sites like Cîteaux Abbey and Saint-Denis.

Artistic Significance and Tombs

Champmol was conceived as a showpiece, attracting visitors and pilgrims, with papal indulgences granted in 1418 for visiting the Well of Moses. The monastery's ducal accounts reveal extensive commissions for paintings and other artworks, continuing until around 1415 and beyond. The tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy, though few in number, were masterpieces. The tombs of Philip the Bold and John the Fearless with his wife Margaret of Bavaria, originally erected with painted alabaster effigies and carved mourners, are now represented by 19th-century reconstructions after the originals were vandalized. The dispersed artistic contents of Champmol, including works by Claus Sluter, Jacques de Baerze, Melchior Broederlam, and others, represent some of the finest monumental art of the French and Burgundian period.

Later History and Current Status

Following the French Revolution, the monastery was suppressed in 1791, and many of its buildings were destroyed or significantly altered. The estate was later acquired and repurposed, eventually housing a psychiatric hospital, which it continues to be today. While the original monastic community is gone and much of the structure has been transformed, significant sculptures by Claus Sluter, such as those on the church portal and parts of the Well of Moses, remain visible on site. Many of the monastery's art treasures are now preserved in Dijon's museums, particularly the Musée des Beaux-Arts.